Sunday, October 14, 2012

Beild House Country Inn & Spa, Collingwood ON

Saturday evening dinner at the Beild house is quite an experience.  All of the guests staying at the Inn come together in the elegant dining room to share delicately prepared horsd'ouvres and tales of our personal daily adventures.  Various activities enjoyed were a visit to the winery for a tasting,  spa treatments at the inn, relaxing in  the hot and cold pools at Scandinave and hiking on some of the numerous trails. This particular evening there were 14 guests at the elegantly set dining table. Many of the people are there for to celebrate anniversaries and birthdays. The wait staff are pleasant, friendly and efficient and the meal absolutely delectable.  Our personal menu selections were: Greek salad and proscuitto wrapped melon for our starter and our main courses, a stuffed Cornish hen and beef tenderloin with Bearnaise sauce.  Dessert was decadent apple beignets and strawberries on a piece of home made short cake.  Needless to say we left the table very full and totally satiated.


Upon returning to the room we had a pleasant surprise.  Our king sized bed was covered in rose petals and there was a plate of  creatively prepared chocolate covered strawberries and decadent truffles.  The chef and staff at the Beild house are to be commended for their exquisite dining and exceptional service.


Saturday, October 13, 2012

Small Towns of Ontario - Collingwood

Our drive to Collingwood was smooth sailing for a Friday evening.  The sky was clear blue and the fall colours spectacular.  The temperature is typical for fall, cool and fresh.


 We checked in to the Beild House Country Inn and Spa for a 2 night stay.  Our room is charming and spacious and the king size bed is very comfy.  This evening we walked 5 minutes down Third St. to the Huron Club for dinner. My deluxe burger was amazing, topped with onion rings, old cheddar and a slice of pickle. Yummy!  The dining room and bar area are hopping tonight with a middle aged crowd that come to socialize and enjoy the live music.  A nice way to spend a Friday evening.



Saturday morning, we're up early and the first downstairs to enjoy a freshly brewed cup of coffee and a delicous  blueberry crumble cake.  Next, into the dining room for a  home cooked breakfast.  They have a very extensive breakfast menu with so much to choose from.  I decided on the chef's omelet with fresh mushrooms and 3 types of cheese.  Fabulous!. Time for a walk after that hearty breakfast.  The air is fresh, the sky partly cloudy and downtown Collingwood is still quiet at this time of the day.
Our first activity of the day is a 1 hour relaxation massage with Cindy, a registered massage therapist with a nack for smoothing out all of the kinks and making your body succumb to total relaxation.  Next ,Lee-Ann works her magic and gives me a delighteful 1 hour pedicure.  A great way to start a Saturday morning.



This afternoon we took a scenic drive along the shore line of Georgian Bay. Then headed west along Grey Road 40 into the hills overlooking Georgian Bay and stopped for a wine tasting at Georgian Hills Vineyard.  We usually associate Ontario wines with Niagara but I'm happy to share this little treasure with you, located a short drive from Collingwood.

Wine expert Vanessa McKean shares her passion with our intimate group as she guides us through a wine and food tasting.  We taste fresh crisp whites, smooth silky reds and delicate dessert wines paired with creamy goat cheese, sharp cheddar, slices of sweet apple and strawberries dipped in a warm chocolate sauce.  A lovely treat for a Saturday afternoon.


It's harvest time at the winery and most of the vines have been trimmed with the exception of a few select rows saved for harvesting the frozen grapes for the dessert wines. The grapes are very sweet, a delicacy.
The vineyard is surrounded with corn fields still waiting to be harvested and in the back ground the colourful trees adorn the horizon.   


 
 We continue our scenic drive through the countryside to the Ravenna Country Market for a light lunch.  This little gem was recommended by Vanessa and let me tell you, this is truly a hidden treasure. The dilapidated country store was purchased 3 years ago by Roy Genoe and his wife Monica Wolf.  They lovingly restored the historical building which is one of the oldest general stores in the area.  Roy's brother, a well renowned chef of  30 years creates daily specials to be enjoyed in the quaint dining area. He has brought his worldly recipes from Europe and luxury dining creations from well known restaurants in Orangeville to this charming store. I enjoyed a fabulous split pea and bacon soup which was a compelete meal in itself and worth the drive to Ravenna. One of my favourite past times is visiting bakery's in small towns in search of the best butter tarts and I'm happy to say that today I found my new # 1.  The butter tarts were absolutely divine.





After our delightful stop for lunch we continued our leisurely drive through the countryside, down the winding mountain road back into Collingwood.  Our comfy room is warm and inviting. We opened a nice bottle of red wine, turned on the gas fireplace and sat back to relax and reminisce about our wonderful day.  This evening we'll enjoy a fabulous meal in the spacious dining room of the Beild House.  The chef has been busy preparing a 6 course dinner for all of the guests. The table is elegantly set and awaiting our arrival.


 

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Treasure of Tuscany 2012-Florence-BEAUTIFUL!



We have arrived in Florence.  So many historical sites to see-Giotto's Bell Tower, the Baptistery, Santa Croce Church where Michael Angelo's tomb resides and the Duomo to name a few.  Today off to shop at San Lorenzo's Market.

Treasure of Tuscany-Learning to cook!






We met our chef L'aura who took us shopping to the village to buy fresh produce and meat. We then travelled to her wine producing estate of Querceto for our cooking class.  We prepared a full Tuscan meal and impressed with our results.  YUMMY!

Friday, October 5, 2012

Treasure of Tuscany-Cheese Please!




We have scene views that are stunning!  We visited a cheese factory Podere II Casale in Pienza and had a tour of their operations.  Then had lunch outside overlooking the country side.  Can life get any better!

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Treasures of Tuscany 2012-Wine Country and Tours













When you are in wine country you drink wine!  We have visited incredible estates and tasted some of the best wines of the world.  Each estate different and each wine it own special flavour.  The process is a science and it takes precious, time, good grapes, weather and soil.  The wineries we have visited have been in different regions so each has had it's own unique taste.  Near San Gimignano we visited Fattoria San Fabiano in Calcinaia, in Chianti Castello di Verrazzano and nearby Montaicino, Altesino Wine Estate.  Did you know the wineries also make olive oil and balsalmic vinegar-the most delicious! 

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Treasure of Tuscany 2012 Arezzo and Cortona








 

 

 
 


We have travelled into the Tuscan hills and it is breath taking.  We visited the charming town of Arezzo a historical city centre. In the afternoon we were all excited to arrive in the town of Cortona.  Best known by the popular movie "Under the Tuscan Sun".  Beautiful scenery and cobblestone streets.