By Phil Anders for theWedge.LIVE On this Valentine’s Day 2020 much wine will be poured. It is the lovers’ elixir. Ontario has an important role in its production. We have watched the Niagara and Prince Edward County regions grow into mature destinations for wine growers and wineries. Surprisingly, there are many isolated vineyards dotted throughout … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Editor, Publisher, Wedgee-in-Chief, theWedge.LIVE We huddled near the Thanksgiving end-aisle, our voices down to a low pitch, Wanita Andress, Dan Andress, and this writer. We dug into our collective treasury of heartfelt expressions for the days coming. It was not easy in a sea of cheezy options. How can you transmit profound … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Editor, Wedgee-in-Chief, theWedge.LIVE It’s that romantic time of the year again–that time when children leave the nest each day to progress in life. It’s back-to-school time. For many parents, parting is sweet sorrow. Sniff. Sniff. The moment is well-captured by Wanita and Dan Andress now grandparents and empty-nesters. They stocked the yellow … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Editor, Wedgee-in-Chief, theWedge.LIVE “It looks like my own hands!,” blurted Wanita Andress. It’s indeed a “slight of hands,” the ones cutting strawberries in the image above. More accurately, they appear attached to the gaseous, smarmy tomato on the couple’s left. Either way, this is a classic photo-fail. Hysterically, the Andress’ seem to … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Editor, Wedgee-in-Chief, theWedge.LIVE “You’re gonna sing with Joe,” I directed. “No way!,” the Andress couple answered in chorus. “Don’t worry there’s no sound in a photo,” I replied without eye-rolling. In no time flat they joined Joe Murphy, Manager of SAP, full-bore. They clearly enjoyed their karaoke moment, long after the camera … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Editor, Wedgee-in-Chief, theWedge.LIVE “Don’t drop it or you’ll have to buy it!,” I howled at Wanita Andress positioned to catch a pink geranium planter airborne from the hands of husband Dan. It was their idea–not mine. She caught it. Out of thin air, Wanita called this activity, “Catch a Gift.” It might … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Editor, Wedgee-in-Chief, theWedge.LIVE The Andress team at YIG Smiths Falls crouched like bunnies among blooming hydrangeas for the wedge. We opted to leave the floppy ears out lest they add unintended meaning. So the romance endures. Dan offered his bunny-ette, Wanita, a basket spilling over with artificial grass, furry chicks that wind … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Editor, Wedgee-in-Chief, theWedge.LIVE Today, I reveal a few favorites in my outer shell regimen–and the best donuts I have ever had in my life. mains de mariposa soaps I am simply mad about mains de mariposa artisanal soaps–especially, “Peace and Patchouli.” Women often sashay up to me, take a whiff and say, … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Editor, Wedgee-in-Chief, theWedge.LIVE ❤️ TO SHARE click icons at story’s end. “It’s Dino,” Steve Akeson identified the Italian crooner on his little radio. It added to the mood for this “Cheese Wheel Pasta” event. “The highlight of my career,” he adds. Akeson has been the tasting event “Maestro” for some time at … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Editor, Wedgee-in-Chief, theWedge.LIVE “I want to give him chocolates,” Wanita Andress stated as she pushed a heart-shaped box of Lindt chocolates into her husband’s chest. She reversed all tradition (man gives chocolates to woman) and my plan to coax Dan to give her the sweet box for our photo capture. Her suggestion … Continue reading
By Maggie M, Wedgee-in-Chief, Editor, theWedge.LIVE I write this on snowpocalypse, Sunday, January 20th, for good reason. People are marooned not wishing to brave knee-deep snow. It’s time to enjoy cheerful, high-quality entertainment. If you have not done so yet it may be time to sign-up with Netflix as it the most affordable entertainment on … Continue reading
by MAGGIE M, Editor, Wedgee-in-Chief, theWedge.LIVE I topped off another insane week with fun at Andress Your Independent Grocer visiting the smooth foodie at the Tasting Hut namely Steve Akeson. The place just hops on Friday afternoons–literally. Customers have a bounce in their step and smiles on their face. They all seem familiar with Akeson. … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Wedgee-in-Chief, Editor, theWedge.LIVE 💚 TO SHARE click icons at at story’s end, TO SUBSCRIBE go to upper-right column. TO COMMENT go yo upper-right of story It was Friday afternoon at Andress’ Your Independent Grocer. Always a fun place to be. The jokes and stories poured out of customers around the Tasting Hut. … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Wedgee-in-Chief, Editor, theWedge.LIVE 💜 TO SHARE click icons at story’s end. TO SUBSCRIBE go to upper-right column. TO COMMENT go to upper right column It was a perfect day when I entered Rurban Brewing‘s retail and tap room in Cornwall. The weather was balmy and the sun reflected itself on this special … Continue reading
By theWedge.LIVE ❤️ TO SHARE click icons at story’s end. TO SUBSCRIBE go to upper-right column. TO COMMENT click upper-right of story We’ve struggled with this topic of acidity vs alkalinity for six months–now we are confident of its reliability. There are too many people peddling advice and products without giving you the fundamentals–or knowing … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Wedgee-in-Chief, Editor, theWedge.LIVE 🎄TO SHARE click icons at story’s end. TO SUBSCRIBE go to upper right column. “What are you serving today Steve?,” almost all visitors asked. I was clearly in the presence of a local celebrity. There was no blue-haired lady serving at this tasting event. Steve Akeson is Andress’ Your … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Wedgee-in-Chief, Editor, theWedge.LIVE ⭐️ TO SHARE click on icons at story’s end. TO SUBSCRIBE go to top-right column. It’s free and confidential. TO COMMENT click text at top right of story We start a new category today : “Jaw-Dropping Finds.” When we trip on something wonderful, under-celebrated, you will see and read … Continue reading
By theWedge.LIVE 🥗🍩☕️🍷TO SHARE click icon’s at story’s end. To subscribe enter email at upper right column. It’s free and confidential. To comment click text at upper right of story. This week we have been focused on our Where To Eat page. It is now perfect in spelling, choices and links. All we have to … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Wedgee-in-Chief, Editor, thewedge.LIVE There’s nothing better for healing (except the hand of God!) while bedridden–better than ibuprofen and antibiotics–than spending time with Anthony Bourdain, Host, The Layover, on Netflix. Dopamine and endorphins course through your veins. We lost him a few days ago, so his productions are precious to all foodies today. … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Wedgee-in-Chief, Editor, the wedge.LIVE The tariffs imposed on U.S. goods announced by our PM yesterday may be a kiss of death to Hershey sales in Canada. In my opinion, it was never delicious chocolate or the healthiest. Canadians will not bite at an additional 10%. This news is bittersweet. Among the tariff … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Wedgee-inChief, Editor, the wedge.LIVE The wedge got news today that Andress Your Independent Grocer, Smiths Falls, is now accessible in your pyjamas and under a minute. Yep, they are live on the web as of May 16th. The wedge just tried the store on-line for size. The website is intuitive and elegant. … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Wedgee-in-Chief, Editor Activated charcoal is a good thing. Smart dentists hand it to their patients in capsule form to draw mercury out of their bodies following amalgam removal. This writer once drank a diluted capsule in a glass of water for fast impact. The only symptom I had was confidence. This ingredient … Continue reading
By Sara Nicholson, Food and Health Contributor, the wedge.LIVE This past weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to attend Eco Farm Day, a two-day event organized by Canadian Organic Growers (COG). It was a day filled with speakers, presentations and trade shows on everything from soil through plants to livestock. Many guests had booked rooms … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Editor, the wedge.LIVE (SHARING buttons are at story’s end) “Did you get the cow?” Diana Coutts, Co-Owner, Coutts Country Flavours, asked her husband on the phone as we concluded our first meeting. I inquired about one of their cows being on the loose. She bellowed with laughter at my question. Turns out, … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Editor, the wedge.LIVE This writer opens this story appealing to your vanity. Yes, there is a fountain of youth here in the region. It does not require exercise, positive affirmatives, plastic surgery, or sitting in caverns in the heart of Italy. Once you learn about this youthful mineral in which I guarantee … Continue reading
by MAGGIE M, Editor, the wedge.LIVE This writer looked around, inquiring from those in-the-know and searching the web for hard-to-find foods produced the way our forefathers did–only three generations ago. Finally, my unrelenting search ended in results. I stumbled upon Biemond, AKA Upper Canada Creamery, Iroquois (an East Ontario town along the St. Lawrence), and, … Continue reading
By SARA Nicholson, Food and Health Contributor, the wedge.LIVE This is NOT an article about the 7 reasons why you should drink a specific drink every day. In fact, this article is about the exact opposite. Don’t drink the same thing every day. If you want to drink the same thing 2 or 3 days … Continue reading
By Maggie M, Editor, and, Sara Nicholson, Food and Health Contributor, the wedge.LIVE It is with great pleasure that the wedge welcomes a new writer who hails from Brockville, Sara Nicholson (see bio below). We are co-writing in a format we hope you find engaging. We are working quickly because of the urgency of the … Continue reading
By MAGGIE M, Editor, http://thewedge.LIVE I just signed up as a customer at the Two Rivers Food Hub . Until today, it was just getting too hard to find foods that have necessary nutrients and to maintain what health I have left. I seek foods that are “unfooled around with”–foods that are not genetically altered … Continue reading
I attended the Equinox Night Market, Perth, Ontario, last Thursday evening. It’s a public culinary event produced by Midnight Makers Collective, sponsored by Perth Tourism and featuring some of Perth’s finest Chefs, food and beverage services and manufacturers. Music and lights added to the atmosphere as the night evolved. People convene around food; this was … Continue reading
Has the mystery been solved? Someone has clearly been missing his/her royalties since the turn of the 20th century. Can anyone claim they are the recipe-maker? Here are three contenders for the legend: Thousand Islands are famous for their beauty; but, ironically, world-renown for their salad dressing-slash-condiment. The battle ensues between the Thousand Islands, Chicago … Continue reading
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