This is about the 10th time that I have tried to sit down and throw some thoughts out about this summer and all the activities at The Good Earth. Unfortunately, it seems that between the classes, caterings, people popping in to visit us and midnight rendezvous’ with the jam pot, I am dead tired and babbling by the time I sit down to type.
Now don’t get me wrong. I am tickled pink by all that is happening at The Good Earth and the great response we have been receiving. For one thing, I am one of those annoying people who just LOVES a hot summer and hot and humid it has indeed been! Thank goodness for my cupboard of light cotton dresses that are my uniform in the summer months! If only I had the sylph-like body to go with it! Patrick and I have valiantly held down the fort, sweating at least one layer of our “winter coat” off while we waited for the return of our “Pit Boss” Mike McColl who was away on a family vacation in Europe. Yes we even resorted to pulling out all the stops and setting up the sprinklers for our friends at aNd logistixs of Toronto to frolic in. Dana and the gang picked the hottest day of the summer for their “day in the country”. There is something wonderful about seeing otherwise very serious and competent business people running amok in the sprinkler. Now that is the sign of true “earthling” spirit!
Chef Patrick and "Pit Boss" working the new pizza oven!
Over the past few weeks we have introduced our guests to our newest wines — the naughty ’08 Cabernet Franc and pretty sister ..our ’09 Rosé, made from the same grape. Both wines have been embraced with great enthusiasm by our guests. The Cabernet Franc is a perfect match with our pizzas (yes that blessed wood fired oven is FINALLY finished!!! — what a production!!). And the Rosé…a real “pantie remover” I would suggest! Not only is it one of the prettiest bottles of wine around BUT it tastes really yummy. “Pantie remover?”, you may ask. Well, it’s one of those wines that a lovely woman might just have to consume too much of and…well with any luck we know where that can lead! I regaled a visitor with this theory and he suggested that I should use a “PRR” system for the next vintage — a “pantie remover rating” with our Rosé definitely having the highest rating. I am also assured that the Rosé works equally well with Joe Boxer shorts!
We have had some great events out at the winery. Our oyster night saw Patrick almost crippled having had to shuck over 450 oysters for some very serious bi-valve lovers! Pizza night was a raucous party with a wonderful mix of locals and groupies from further afield! Weekends are busy on the patio as more and more people discover the little gem at the end of that dusty laneway. Krista, our enthusiatic “tastebud temptress” even has a cache of special cherry flavoured dog biscuits from our friends at Cherry Lane Farms for our canine guests. We have had a few canines come along and christen our lawn while their humans have lunch on the patio.
We’ve also had our share of media attention which is always very flattering. Two weeks ago, I had a call from my childhood friend Andreas Trauttmansdorff. Andreas used to spend countless nights on my pink sofa in Toronto when he was at Sheridan College looking for his big break. Those were the days when he hoped to become the next Scorsese. Now Andreas is one of the most sought after food and life-style photograpers in North America. I mean, Martha Stewart had him shoot her rose garden! Now that’s an endorsement!! At any rate, Andreas called to see if we would mind if he brought over a journalist from the UK edition of Food and Travel. We had a “ripping time” as one says in the colonies — actually a great time as we shared lunch with our dearest winemaker Ross Wise and sipped our lovely wines. We’re going international — in the media that is, next year!
Vines Magazine Photo Shoot!
This afternoon we hosted Chris Waters, Amanda Allison and team from VINES for another photo shoot. For those who don’t know me, I HATE having my photo taken. For years I have avoided having a shot of me on the website. It has been a bone of contention with my graphic design and marketing friends. Well, today proved no different. I now really understand why super models get paid so much (perhaps their perfect bodies and sculpted faces contribute to that too!). This is really tough work — chin out, eyes smiling, head tilted this way, big smile and…relax and look natural! Thank God that I have a more photogenic staff. Look for a pretty spread and story about The Good Earth in the Harvest edition of VINES.
Chef Isa is about to say goodbye and wander off into baby world. Drop in before the end of the August long weekend because after that she will be gone. Winemaker Ross and his lovely Tiffany will be tying knot soon in my back garden but not until after the Kiwi team win the First Annual Mortadella Invitational Bocce Tournament at The Good Earth on August 2! And don’t forget The Good Book is going to be unveiled that same weekend as well. It’s busy and fun times at The Good Earth.
It’s past midnight again, the witching hour or in my case the jamming hour. It’s been a great summer so far and lots of fun. I am tickled pink!