Wine and Cheese Tour

Toward the beginning of my time as a pastry student, I wasn’t able to attend a school field trip because there wasn’t room on the bus for me (so I was volunteered to help out with a cuisine Short Course on sauces).  The trip was so popular that another one was scheduled, and on November 23^rd, I hopped onto a bus and rode to Prince Edward County, Ontario’s wine country, to tour two wineries and an artisan cheese factory.

It was a Saturday morning, and the bus was scheduled to leave from the school at 8:00am, so Jeremie, a member of the Student Services staff, asked us to arrive at 7:45.  I was excitedly on-time, with a bag full of snacks and things to do on the 3-hour bus ride ahead.  I didn’t know anyone who was going on the trip (all of my friends had gone on the first one), and didn’t really want to be the only person sleeping on the bus.

Though it was exactly 7:45, I was one of the first to arrive.  I chose my seat (near the front of the bus, as my friends warned me that it was a pretty curvy bus ride) and watched students and adults from the community, who had been invited to fill the bus, board.  Quite a few of them were speaking French (also the driver’s language of choice), but soon I saw the two Frenchmen I was curiously awaiting:  Chef Jocelyn and Chef Eric.

It was just as strange to see them out of their uniforms as I had expected.  Chef Jocelyn was in a zip-up sweatshirt and jeans and Chef Eric was similarly dressed in jeans, a long-sleeved t-shirt and scarf.  Each of them seemed to be an intensified version of their school-selves. Though it was early and everyone seemed to still be waking up, Chef Jocelyn was all smiles, happily greeting us and chatting with Jeremie and the bus driver.  Chef Eric (my Intermediate Pastry instructor) was even more intimidating than usual, speaking infrequently and crossing his arms looking out the window.  I’m excited to get to know him next semester, as I’m sure he isn’t quite as intimidating as he seems.

I needn’t worry about being the only one sleeping on the bus: a good majority of the 20 of us slept for most of the way, waking only buy coffee at a rest-stop.  I awoke now and then to watch the scenery: it was gorgeous!  We drove on small roads lined with tall, bare trees that came right up to the ditch, opening now and then to big, round clearings filled with tall brown grass.  It reminded me of how I imagine Vermont to be.

Finally we crossed a bridge into Prince Edward County (which, though it is an island, is different than Prince Edward Island, a province in Canada’s Maritimes) and arrived at the Black River Cheese Company.  It was a small building filled mostly with a store, and warehouses around the back.  In front of a large window looking into the cheese-making vats, we listened to the 3^rd-generation owner and cheese master explain the process to us.  I asked questions about the business-side of cheese making, as I’ve always wondered about things like how they choose how much product to sell immediately and how much to age for years, as sales projections for cheese must be tough 5-years out.  The owner then led us around the back to see the pasteurizing equipment and the large warehouse (called a “cold room”) where they store finished products.  He demonstrated how to test cheddar, then ushered us back into the store to taste a few varieties of their fresh cheese.

Testing blocks of cheddar in the cold room

Tasting cheese!

They had so many cheese varieties to choose from

The cheese was really tasty, and I left with a small brick of Onion and Parsley Mozzarella for Chad to try.

Next, it was off to the Waupoos Winery just up the road, where we were to have a tour and eat lunch in the vineyard’s restaurant.  The tour was short, more of a question and answer session, but I asked quite a few questions there, as well.  Things like the profitability of wines made from grapes grown on site versus the ones they make with grapes from Niagara, and the role of the Canadian government in their production.

They only use American Oak barrels -- something we could see
though the window during our small tour

They had all kinds of witty and clever wine labels,
this series was my favorite 

An entire wall looked like this: dozens of wines to choose from!

It was a cute little building, complete with a chocolate shop,
wine shop, ice cream shop, and cellar, with a restaurant in the back

View of the main building from the back

We were a little late to see grapes...

The vineyard was beautiful, and right on the coast of Lake Michigan.  We tasted wines upstairs in the shop, and browsed their huge selection.  If it was closer, I would definitely go back: they had wines for every price, many with awards or magazine features, and every bottle was unique and fun.  I chose a Riesling for Chad called “Supernova.”  We had a wonderful lunch; I ordered a lovely pear and walnut salad and a mushroom burger with goat cheese and roasted peppers.  I sat right next to a potted, live lemon tree, which I loved! 

Lake Michigan was right there!

They made custom menus for us!

I loved the live lemon tree right next to my seat
in the restaurant.

We were running a little late after the lunch, so we hurried over to the Norman Hardee winery, which was supposed to be the best in Ontario.  We got lost on the way, but arrived only half an hour late and were ushered upstairs into an unattractive attic-like room with exposed insulation in the ceiling and creaky floors.  We were only there for a tasting, so the wine master began to explain the winery’s history and processes.  I wasn’t a fan of how he spoke about the place; he often implied that they are the only winery in Canada who does things right, and that every other place simply doesn’t compare.  He was overly-arrogant and insulted the French (which the Chefs promptly called him out on).  After his explanation, we tasted a few wines, each with its own reason for being the absolute best in the county.  Personally, I didn’t like any of them very much, but it might have just been the attitude of our presenter.  When we were finished, we boarded the bus and headed home.

The Norman Hardee had nice scenery, but not quite as
beautiful as the lake-side Waupoos

The ride home was much like the ride there.  Many of us slept or stared out the window for most of the way, the Chefs spoke to the driver and Jeremie in French, and we stopped for coffee and a snack an hour from home.

We got back to the school at 8:30pm and I walked home in the falling snow.  I slept so well that night: it was a long day!