Gentlemen, prepare to gorge. The Savour Stratford Culinary Festival is about to hit us like a ton of beef short ribs. This weekend (September 21st – 23rd) Shakespeare Central will transform into a city-sized gourmet buffet.
Now in its fifth wildly successful year, this year’s bash will attract celebrity chefs like David Rocco, host of Food Network’s Dolce Vita and Carl Heinrich, winner of season 2 of Top Chef Canada. We caught up with Rocco for a sneak peek. “This year it’s about celebrating local ingredients… and celebrating the talent we have in Southern Ontario.”
And where better to celebrate than Stratford? Surrounded by some of the best soil and climate in the province, for years its farmers have created cheeses, salamis and other delicacies that are more art than food. “The real stars are the local farmers,” says Rocco. “Those guys are the real foodies and know how to prepare their food best.” Their delicious handiwork has attracted top-notch restaurants and even a culinary school.
Savour Stratford isn’t just an excuse to wear your loose pants; you’ll learn something, too. Want to brew the perfect cup of coffee? Sign up for Coffee 101. Always wondered about the right way to sharpen knives? They’ve got a guy coming from Henckels for that. If you’re a real overachiever you can even learn how to make your own homemade cheese.
Barely a two-hour drive from Toronto, it’s a classy way to impress your special lady friend while feasting like a champ. Just don’t embarrass her, ok?
Savoury highlights:
Friday: Endless street food stalls serving up everything from potato latkes to creme brûlée, organized around a craft beer and wine tent.
Saturday: BBQ, Blues, and Brews. Chow down on some authentic Southern fried chicken and Kansas City ribs while soaking up the sounds of new country southern rock.
Sunday: Thirty top local chefs go head-to-head to serve up their tastiest morsels as you sip Ontario’s finest VQA wines.
