Established in 1941 as the site of Defence Industries Ltd. munitions plant, and named after the warship HMS Ajax, the Town quickly grew on the values of progress, accountability, community and the environment. Now home to more than 100,000 people, Ajax is quickly becoming recognized in Canada and North America for its diverse population and business growth.

Ajax is one of the most progressive communities in the Greater Toronto Area, specifically recognized for key site selection criterions including cost effectiveness, infrastructure and economic growth potential.

With two existing interchanges along the Highway 401 corridor, and two future links to Highway 407, Ajax provides accessibility for products and people. These entry points provide direct access to existing zoned business areas, and 700 acres of cost effective “shovel-ready” industrial land. Lot sizes that range from one acre to 80 acres are serviced and ready to go – all backed by PriorityPath™, a unique, customized municipal process specifically designed to streamline your project.

Cost effectiveness in Ajax starts with affordable land prices. But as North America’s first fully ISO certified municipality, Ajax understands that time is money, too. Ajax has the  infrastructure, zoning, processes, and people in place, to ensure your project moves quickly.

Along the 401-Highway of Heroes corridor, Ajax history is repeating itself as a result of continued dedication to progress, accountability, community and the environment. It is a place where you can get more for your dollar and do more for your business and customers.

www.firstforbusiness.ca

Watch for the hot pink Cupcake Diner on wheels, parked in the downtown core of the city as well as at special events. Owner Natalie Ravoi tapped into her love of baking and took it to the streets, literally, and created Canada’s first mobile cupcake shop. She bakes gourmet cupcakes daily with a retro twist.

People line up for varieties like caramel apple pie, chocolate and peanut butter, the 1950s Classic (à la Hostess cupcakes), lemon meringue and raspberry white chocolate. Plus she offers gluten-free and vegan variations, too.

But before diving into dessert, there’s heartier fare to be had. You can’t miss Canada’s only grilled cheese food truck. Look for the gorilla. It’s a sign that you’ve found Gorilla Cheese, owned by Graeme Smith and Scott Austin.

Smith went to Liaison College to become a professional chef and Austin is a grass roots foodie himself. They came up with the idea for a grilled cheese truck, a perfect fit for comfort-food craving urbanites. These aren’t just any garden-variety sandwiches, but gourmet, grilled-to-order ones, made with real cheese from Jensen’s, an Ontario cheese maker based in Simcoe. They’re gooey and wonderful, served alongside tomato soup and baked beans, all made from scratch.

Roving the area called the Golden Horseshoe, stretching from Toronto to Niagara Falls, is El Gastronomo Vagabundo. It’s a joint Australia-Canada project, thanks to its owners Tamara Jensen and Adam Hynam-Smith, a professionally trained chef from Down Under.

They have been serving up tantalizing mobile eats, like heirloom tomato and watermelon salad, Asian specialties, and gourmet tacos like Thai coconut red curry and tempura salmon. Ingredients are sourced from small local producers, making this a true grass-roots operation. To catch El Gastro on the move, follow them on Twitter or Facebook. You’ll likely spot them at Flat Rock

Cellars winery in Jordan on the weekend or the St. Catharines farmer’s market.

Article courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission Media Centre

Writers Bio: Michele Sponagle (m.sponagle@sympatico.ca) is a travel writer based in Paris, ON, who has sampled hotel beds in more than 50 countries.

Time to rev up the truck, yes the same one I took on the Horn Trip last time. It’s a metallic tungsten grey SUV. Let’s see if I can pair some of those wines I tasted with local fair. The County is known for a celebration of regional cuisine, featuring regional chefs, local growers and wonderful wines. I think I’m going to do a progressive dinner tonight across The County.

So here I am at The Bloomfield Carriage House Restaurant http://www.bloomfieldcarriagehouse.com/ owned and operated by my friends Chef Scott Kapitan and Pastry Chef Jacqui Vickers. For you foodies, it’s a can’t miss place…a culmination of passion for good food and service. Scott only cooks with product abundant in the County. It is simple elegant French inspired cuisine. The converted carriage house, hence the name, is that country charm with a touch of refinement. Now sit next to the fire place during the cooler months and sitting on top is me…no just kidding, it’s one of my stone sculptures. Tonight I think I’ll enjoy the breeze of summer on the shaded patio with the duck, no the lamb, no the rabbit, no the pot de feu.

At least I know the focus is Canadian product layered over the foundations of French cuisine. Local and organic product is widely used as everything is made in house by Scott, even the charcuterie. It’s that slow food ideal, so any choice is an excellent one.

Jacqui’s breads and pastries at The Marshmallow Room Bakery are all made with organic, unbleached flour. The bakery sits right on Main Street Bloomfield. And here is a secret; along with filtered water she uses either Maldon sea salt or Sel de Guerande from Brittany. Please don’t say a word! And there are preserves, from in house made jams, chutneys and jellies both in the bakery and on-line. Scott and Jacqui are obsessed with quality, freshness and natural products from beginning to end. I am just dying here; The Marshmallow Room also sells in-house made charcuterie, such as boar or elk pâté, rillette and salami. Guess I must be in heaven!

Well let’s see… of to the  Milford Bistro  http://milfordbistro.com. And the owner Chris Pengelly is also a friend! The Bistro is in a charmingly quirky 120 year old wooden building, in a little hamlet with an old mill, a theatre, two waterfalls, a pond and a river. There are two growers of organic heirloom veggies within walking distance, a farm raising cattle and a cheese factory down the road.  The artwork in the Bistro is just as quirky and is supplied by fad: funktional art and design, from where? From Prince Edward County of course!

The Milford Bistro works hard to rise to the occasion, cooking small scale, sourcing locally and letting their menu reflect the changing seasons. Choose from The Chef’s Chicken, The Chef’s Beef or The Chef’s Lamb. Last year they won one of the coveted local Taste Awards. This year they were named tourism/hospitality business of the year. Reading words like “charming”, “unique”, “hidden gem”, “will recommend” and most of all “will be back” in their guest book makes them proud and happy. “We believe we have the most intimate, romantic restaurant around. We invite you to come and see for yourselves”, as per Chris! As an aside, it’s one of the places I celebrated my birthday this year!

If you don’t have time for a meal …well then you are in for a treat.  If you are hungry for a delicious burger made with local ingredients, you will want to stop on by the Bistro weekends at the Outdoor Burger Bar, your choice of meat! Now it’s time for this county boy, LOL, to hit the big city! Picton here I come!

Hey boys, how’s Portabella http://www.portabellaonmain.com doing? Owners Don King and Roy Pennell use fresh and local ingredients with a large selection of county wines. The local thing is a theme here, don’t ya think.  Located on Picton’s Main Street, Portabellas has a pretty relaxed atmosphere with a casual menu. Portabella is a dining favourite for locals and visitors alike. Get the pecan chicken. You can dine and wine with friends, family and your partner taking in the encaustic artwork by local artist Tanya Kirouac.  Food, wine and art…what more can you ask for from your dining experience.

So heading back west, as we headed east sorta is Copper Kettle Chocolate Company  http://www.copperkettlechocolate.ca. And guess what? It’s owned by one of my best friends, Sue Burgess. She is best known for over 30 varieties of unique chocolate bark, astonishing truffles, homemade ice cream (in season) as well as delicious chocolate and nut specialties. And no matter what she says, I came up with `the idea for the sponge toffee ice cream!

Five of Copper Kettle Chocolate Company’s chocolate barks have won awards at the Canadian Fine Food Show in Toronto. Oh BTW, the white chocolate caramel corn is divine plus there are always oodles and oodles of samples. Copper Kettle Chocolate Company is located in the charming town of Picton, Ontario, close to wineries, great restaurants, galleries and the largest freshwater sand dunes in the world, Sandbanks Provincial Park.

Almost across the street is The Pastry House http://www.pastryhouse.ca. Yes we have more than one bakery in The County. It is a small artisan bakery run by Peter Grendel. Here you will find a fine selection of cakes, pastries, cookies, buns, rolls and breads, all baked in house Peter does not use any artificial colours flavours or preservatives.

Enjoy a cup of fresh coffee or tea with a pastry from the large selection or take back a treat for your friends or partner to enjoy at the inn, bed and breakfast or campground during your stay in Prince Edward County. Whatever the occasion you will find something, a slice of sacher torte anyone?

Enough about eating, what about making it and eating it, too at From The Farm Cooking School http://fromthefarm.ca. Experience the joy of cooking seasonally in Prince Edward County, Ontario – Canada’s newest culinary destination. From the Farm Cooking School is the ultimate field to table culinary experience. Oh and yes, owner Cynthia, a personal chef and food writer is also a friend. What can I say, it’s a small community! She offers cooking classes that highlight the art of seasonal country cooking and traditions from around the world.  Sessions are conducted at her restored 1830’s farmhouse, Willow Hill north of where I live, in Hillier Township.

Start your morning by taking a food tour to meet the farmers and local producers. Cynthia will guide you through the local food scene and highlights of the region. You’ll be able to hand pick your ingredients for your class and purchase some goodies to take home. If time is tight, Cynthia will shop and have the items ready for your arrival.  After completing your menu, you can enjoy your culinary creation in dining room or outside in the scenic screened-in porch. The day will capture your heart and your senses.

I have learnt something about myself this evening. With few exceptions, I guess I really like meat! That raps it up for now. Here I go bombing down the gravel road, with hare trying to stare me down as I pass by. One quick right and into the driveway I go, home to The Bunker, my house. Cool there are three deer just grazing. Their white tails up and off they go! Lady Gaga must have scared them off, I shouldn’t have been blaring the CD player with the windows down!

Writers Bio: Brought to you by Out in The County www.outinthecounty.com your GL travel source to Prince Edward County managed by partners Michael Deyell and Dean Munroe.  Please consider joining our Out in The County facebook page to stay informed at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Out-in-The-County/223674571008370 

This is why having a solid network is important in your job search. Thanks to technology, you can stay in touch with people via email, Facebook, LinkedIn, text messages, video chats and more. Whether you worked with someone five years ago or met one time at a holiday party, you have several ways to add to your network of people who might help you land a job.

The problem is that you might be desperate to find work, but these people have lives to lead. They don’t need to see your smiling face every day asking if they found a job for you. Rather than alienate the very people who might be your best hope for a new job, follow these five simple guidelines so that you can stay in touch without becoming a pest:

1. Use social media to your advantage

Social media is the obvious way to stay connected to colleagues and friends, even if you don’t speak with them on a regular basis. Yet, one size doesn’t fit all in this category. Some people are strict about using Facebook only for personal reasons and don’t want to have acquaintances or business contacts on their friends list, while others might not have even heard of LinkedIn, which has become the Facebook for professionals. Then there are other sites, like Twitter, that allow for some connection between friends but isn’t as comprehensive as either of the other sites. Which should you use?

Figure out how each person uses social media and stay in contact that way. Occasionally commenting on a status, saying “Hi!” on their wall, or thanking them for posting an informative article are simple ways to stay in front of them without being obnoxious.

2. Meet them for drinks or lunch

Some network contacts are nice people who you don’t mind saying hello to in the hallway but you don’t want to spend an hour or two making small talk over a meal. Don’t feel pressured to — especially because they might feel the same way. Reserve regular in-person meetings for people whom you consider a friend and enjoy spending time with. An occasional lunch appointment or even quick coffee break together is an easy way to stay fresh in their minds in case a job opportunity comes their way. Plus, that’s an hour or two you get to spend time with a friend.

3. Don’t network with enemies

Although not everyone is in the friend zone, some people are decidedly in the enemy zone, or at the very least you don’t get along with them. Don’t force a network connection with them because it won’t make them like you. In fact, your insistence will probably annoy them more. Plus, do you think someone who doesn’t like you is going to give you a glowing recommendation for a position?

4. Make the relationship mutually beneficial

No one likes a selfish person and no one wants to help a selfish person. If your entire relationship with the people in your network is about you and your job search, then you’re not networking properly. When you do interact with your network, whether online or in person, talk about something other than yourself. Ask how they are doing and talk about topics that make it clear you’re not simply using them for their connections.

More importantly, be a resource for them. If you come across a job opportunity that is a good fit for someone else, let people know. People in your network could be in the same situation as you. If one of them asks you for help in finding a job, assuming it’s not the same job you want, do what you can to get the word out to your connections. If job search karma exists, you want to be on its good side.

5. Read their signals

The best way to avoid being a pest to someone is not to push their buttons, and not everyone has the same buttons. Rather than insist everyone be your Facebook friend or everyone meet you for dinner once a month, figure out what each person prefers. Social media addicts who are on Facebook and Twitter all the time are probably perfectly happy to exchange in wall-to-wall conversation with you. Someone who logs in LinkedIn once a month might prefer to talk to you over email or the phone. In all interaction with your network, learn how each individual prefers to communicate and follow suit. It’s a nice way of showing that you respect them and pay attention to them, instead of making them feel like they’re just one of a hundred people you’re pestering for a job.

Original article: Anthony Balderrama, CareerBuilder Writer

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1.  Ability to prove worth

It is one thing to call yourself an outstanding communicator or an effective leader. It is another to actually back claims with proof. Employers want to know what you’d bring to the table if hired.

“Candidates who can provide real, tangible examples of successes at their current and past jobs certainly stand out,” note Western Union’s Chris Brabec, director of leadership talent acquisition, and Laura Hopkins, vice president of talent acquisition.

Alan Guinn, managing director and CEO of The Guinn Consultancy Group in Bristol, Tenn., agrees. “More and more of my clients simply aren’t interested in questions like, ‘If you were an animal, what would you be?’ They are exponentially more interested in seeing if the candidate for a position understands the value that he or she brings to the employer when hired.”

Guinn notes that most applicants for commission-driven jobs instinctively understand that they can demonstrate competency and quantify value by discussing how they met quotas, exceeded sales objectives or searched out new clients. Candidates in other fields who are not accustomed to thinking this way may have more difficulty, but trying to do so may ultimately land them a job.

To come up with examples, it might help to examine your résumé and any performance reviews. What have you accomplished that sets you apart from others? How can those achievements be applied to this job? Is there a way to quantify or explain results in terms of time or money saved, output or improvement?

It can be especially effective to search for instances that would be noteworthy for the specific position or employer. For example, since Western Union is a global company, a candidate who highlights his international experience would grab the attention of Brabec and Hopkins. Examining the job ad for keywords can offer clues as to what might be most significant.

2.  More than a simple knowledge of the company

An acceptable candidate looks at the company’s Web site before heading to the interview. An irresistible one learns more.

“To stand out, you need to show that your research was a mile deep and not an inch deep like most candidates,” says Jim Langan, partner and manager of the investment and financial services division for Winter, Wyman – one of the largest staffing firms in the Northeast. “You need to go above and beyond in your efforts to show that you understand this company inside and out.”

Annual reports and financial statements can be of assistance. Likewise, check for any recent news events or press releases. Langan notes that these things also might be helpful to know about a company:

• Its motto or vision
• Its products and what makes them stand out in the market
• Its competitors
• Its stock price
• Its senior management and their history with the firm (Bonus points: If any of them have written a book or been quoted in a publication, see if you can mention that in the interview.)

3.  Enthusiasm

If you’ve taken the time to clearly demonstrate your worth and to do homework on the company, chances are you’re well on your way to becoming the final thing an employer can’t resist: an enthusiastic candidate.

How does enthusiasm shine through? “First and foremost, I believe, is the candidate’s interest in the interview itself,” Guinn says. ”It’s directly in proportion, I think, to how excited the candidate might be to be offered the job.” He notes that questions enthusiastic candidates ask are not only about the job they would be doing but also about the job in the future. “They ask the interviewer how they may expand positional responsibilities. They demonstrate interest in upward mobility. They want to know who has moved up and why the position they are being interviewed for is vacant. They also are interested in how they will fit in with the group to which they are assigned.”

Let a potential employer know that you have spent time learning about this particular job and reflecting on how you’d be the perfect person for it. Chances are your genuine excitement could be contagious. As Langan says, “Companies love to hire people who have passion and enthusiasm for a position rather than a candidate who sees this as just another job.”

Original article by Beth Braccio Hering, Special to CareerBuilder.

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Job opportunities likely to increase during 2011 in certain sectors

“Seventy per cent of Canadian employers say they are in a better financial position today than they were one year ago,” said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America. “Our survey results and an increase in job posting activity on CareerBuilder.ca point to continued, steady job growth in 2011.”

Customer service was the top functional area employers said they will be recruiting for in 2011 as they focus on expanding their customer base and share of customer wallet. Thirty-four per cent plan to add customer service positions in the New Year. The top 10 functional areas for recruitment include:

• Customer service – 34 per cent
• Information Technology – 33 per cent
• Technology – 30 per cent
• Administrative – 29 per cent
• Marketing – 28 per cent
• Sales – 24 per cent
• Research/Development – 21 per cent
• Engineering – 21 per cent
• Business/Development – 20 per cent
• HR – 10 per cent

Hiring in 2011

Full-time
Three-in-ten (32 per cent) employers plan to hire full-time, permanent employees in 2011, up from 29 per cent in 2010 and 18 per cent in 2009. Eleven per cent plan to decrease headcount, on par with 9 per cent in 2010 and lower than 16 per cent in 2009. Nearly half (49 per cent) per cent anticipate no change in their staff levels while 9 per cent are unsure.

Part-time
Twenty per cent of employers expect to hire part-time employees in the next 12 months, up from 18 per cent in 2010 and 13 per cent in 2009. Seven per cent plan to decrease part-time help, an improvement from 9 per cent in 2010 and 16 per cent in 2009. Fifty-eight per cent anticipate no change in their staff levels while 16 per cent are unsure.

Contract/Temporary
Companies will be relying on interim solutions to help shoulder growing workloads. Half of hiring managers (51 per cent) reported they will hire contract or temporary workers to supplement leaner staffs in 2011. Of those hiring contract or temporary workers, 12 per cent expect to add more than last year. Forty-two per cent of employers expect to extend job offers for permanent placement in their companies to contract or temporary staff.

Compensation
Fifty-seven per cent of employers are concerned that their best talent will leave their organizations once the economy improves. Compensation will be one of the incentives used to retain talent, as nearly eight-in-ten employers (77 per cent) said they will increase compensation for their existing staff in 2011. While most employers estimate the average raise will be 3 per cent or less, one-in-ten (9 per cent) expect the average increase will be five per cent or more.

Forty-six per cent will provide higher initial job offers to job candidates. While most increases will likely fall within the same 1 per cent to 3 per cent range, 9 per cent of employers expect to up initial job offers by 5 per cent or more.

Search for Canadian jobs and learn the skills to grab your perfect career in 2011

Yet despite legacy-preferences having raised the eyebrows of sceptics pretty much since the idea’s inception, many universities still use family-alumni status as a deciding factor when assessing applicants.

Unfortunately, though, this type of family-and-friend favouritism doesn’t stop in college. Though there is no officially sanctioned system for nepotism in the workplace like there is in the higher-ed admissions process, it doesn’t seem to make it any less common.

Think about pop culture or politics, for example. Nepotism — which literally means “favouritism based on kinship,” according to Merriam-Webster — can be widely found in both.

Take Tori Spelling. Though she made a pretty convincing “Donna” in the nineties-series “90210,” it’s no secret that her dad, Aaron Spelling, was the show’s producer and a big influence on Tori’s role on the series. In U.S. politics, there’s the Kennedy family. During his time as President of the United States, John F. Kennedy appointed his brother as U.S. Attorney General. It all just makes you wonder if, despite any talent, these privileged relatives got to where they are because of their family ties.

At first glance, these advantages may not seem fair to the rest of us, who are expected to achieve success through mere merit. But when you think about it, isn’t nepotism kind of the same thing as asking a friend to pass your résumé on to her HR department, or landing an internship through a neighbour?

Are you well connected?

Yes and no. According to the experts, while there is certainly some overlap between nepotism and networking — both of which use connections to help get ahead — there is also a distinct difference between the two.

“There is indeed a difference between nepotism and networking,” says Nancy Irwin, a doctor of clinical psychology who has worked with Hollywood creative artists. “With the former, you are given an opportunity [or] work. With the latter, you create it and build it yourself. [Networking] is healthier psychologically for all parties concerned, because it is built on worth, not a favour.”

Lynne Sarikas, director of career services at Northeastern University’s Graduate School of Business Administration, agrees with Dr. Irwin’s conclusions. “Networking is not taking the easy way out; it is work, it takes time and the process needs to be managed but it is the single most effective tool in the job search arsenal.  While you will likely start your networking with family and friends, it should quickly expand to alumni connections, LinkedIn connections, former colleagues, etc. Nepotism is an attempt to shortcut the job search process and it often backfires,” she says.

Why? Because with nepotism, a candidate’s qualifications — beyond being a relative of a current employee — often aren’t considered, which can lead to a company hiring an unfit candidate. “Someone getting a job that they are not qualified for simply because of who they know is nepotism in my book,” Sarikas says.

John Boyd, founder of online networking portal Meetingwave.com, also feels that nepotism without merit ultimately causes resentment and harm within a business. “When a son or daughter is anointed with an elevated position despite a lack of talent, it seeds resentment among other workers and [causes] other disruptions. There’s a strong sense of unfairness and lack of a level playing field. If the person is unsuitable, the business is hurt,” he says.

Though nepotism is often a poor hiring practice for a company or industry, Boyd does still feel there is a place for it in the working world —  so long as the beneficiary is qualified for the job. “Often the offspring don’t fall far from the tree. So a great actor often has kids that are talented, etc. Jeff Bridges is a great actor — despite any benefit he might have received from being the son of Lloyd Bridges — and his brother Beau is pretty good as well. I guess it’s in their genes,” he says.

While nepotism — at least without merit — seems unfair to those of us who don’t have relatives in high places, Dr. Irwin believes that we may be better off in the long run without family favours, since it forces us to create our own networks. “Networking for oneself builds self-sufficiency and confidence. Those really can’t grow when it’s given to you by a family member,” she says.

Writers Bio: Kaitlin Madden is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder one of our partners and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Of course, the first Canadian cuisine is the indigenous food of our First Nations: the salmon, oysters and oolican of British Columbia’s coastal waters; the bison and wild Saskatoon berry of the Prairies; the moose and elk of the Canadian Shield; the seal, whale and caribou of the vast northern tundra.

Over the last 125 years, the waves of immigrants who have settled in pockets throughout the country have further defined the style of cooking and local specialties. In “Irish” Newfoundland and Labrador, it’s boiled corned beef and cabbage dinners. InVancouver, BC, it’s sushi and killer Cantonese. In Edmonton, AB, it’s the best perogies and cabbage rolls—thanks to the largest Ukrainian diaspora in the land.

Canada is a country of regions, and regional cuisine is all the rage here. Here’s a taste of what to expect as you cross from sea to shining sea to shining sea:

Atlantic Canada
The Atlantic provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick all have their own unique culinary charms, but they take many of their culinary cues from the sea. Commercial fisheries run the gamut from Digby scallops in Nova Scotia to Malpeque oysters in PEI to sweet Coldwater shrimp in Newfoundland. There’s also cod, mussels and lobster all around, and lush growing regions like the Annapolis Valley, NS, known for wonderful apples and now vineyards featuring the Maritime grape, L’Acadie Blanc. As in all parts of the country, the best chefs are using fresh, seasonal and local ingredients—from seaweed to PEI potatoes—in creative new ways.

Whether you tuck into a meal from a top chef or a lobster roll on the street, fresh seafood is always on the plate. In port towns like St. John’s, NL, and Halifax, NS, the pub culture runs deep, with some of the best places in the country to raise a pint accompanied by a casual meal and lively Maritime music.

Typical tastes:

• Crispy cod tongues and scrunchions in St. John’s, NL
• Rappie pie on the northeast Acadian shore of New Brunswick
• Seaweed pie in PEI
• Lobster (lobster suppers and lobster rolls)
• Fish & chips
• Rum cake
• Chowder

Hot spots:

• Tempest in Wolfville, NS
• Chives Canadian Bistro, Halifax, NS
• Fid Resto, Halifax, NS
• Le Caveau at Domaine de Grand Pré, NS
• The Battered Fish, Halifax, NS
• The Rooms Café, St. John’s, NL
• Bianca, St. John’s NL
• Claddagh Oyster House, Charlottetown, PEI

Quebec
La belle province is a massive place, stretching from the salt-lashed coast of the Gaspé Peninsula and tiny islands of Îles de la Madeleine, down the St. Lawrence River to historic Quebéc City, and further south to cosmopolitan Montréal. The northern reaches of the province are a wilderness of lakes and forests, filled with game such as deer and moose. The famed sugar bush comes alive from February to early spring—maple syrup season. Along the south shore, you’ll find the country’s best cheesemakers.

The culinary vibe takes much from the old-fashioned French cooking transplanted by some of the earliest Canadian immigrants more than 400 years ago—which is why you’ll find excellent French wines in the government-operated liquor stores—and restaurants in Old Québec serving pea soup and cassoulet. But the cities are cosmopolitan, and thanks to centuries of immigration, you’ll find excellent Jewish delis, Vietnamese bakeries and star chefs creating superb French-Canadian cuisine.

Typical tastes:

• Tourtière, a classic double-crusted meat pie made with pork (and sometimes game meats)
• Iced hard cider, a sweet dessert wine similar to icewine, but pressed from frozen apples
• Smoked meat sandwiches
• Poutine, French-Canadian fast food created by topping French fries with gravy and fresh cheese curds (and now all manner of other things from beefy meat sauce to curry)
• Maple syrup on snow, a sweet n’ chewy snack found at sugar shacks, or maple sugar pie and even maple wine
• Local cheeses

Hot spots:

• Au Pied de Cochon, Montréal
• Restaurant Toqué!, Montréal
• Restaurant Toast!, Québec City
• Schwartz’s, Montréal
• Aux Anciens Canadiens, Québec City
• Laurie Raphaël, Québec City

Ontario
Ontario is the heart of the country, home to the national capital of Ottawa, with its international embassies, and Toronto, the metropolitan area that is Canada’s most densely populated region. Stretching along the Great Lakes, there are temperate growing regions such as Niagara and Prince Edward County, both known for vineyards, apples and other tree fruit. From the lakes are pickerel and whitefish, and from the northern forests wild mushrooms, ramps and game.

While Ontario’s British history may be seen in local favourites like butter tarts and peameal bacon sandwiches, its capital, Toronto, is truly an international city with a multicultural past and present. This includes Greek restaurants along the Danforth, locovore charcuterie made on site at places like The Black Hoof, and pupusas and Chinese roast duck in funky Kensington Market. You’re never far from a great cup of coffee, an authentic Jamaican patty or a wine bar in Toronto. And with superb chef schools—like the Stratford Chefs School—nearby, the city lures some top Canadian chefs to its upscale dining spots.

Typical tastes:

• Peameal bacon sandwich, St. Lawrence Market
• Ontario cabernet franc (like those from Henry of Pelham Family Estate)
• BeaverTails before skating on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa
• Vidal or riesling icewine (for a treat, try Inniskillin’s Icewine Sparkling Vidal)
• Butter tarts
• Niagara peaches

Hot spots:
Gilead Café, Toronto
Buddha Dog, Picton
Dine @ Vineland Estates, Niagara
Le Cordon Bleu Bistro @ Signatures, Ottawa
SOMA Chocolatemaker, Toronto
Black Hoof, Toronto
Canoe, Toronto
North 44, Toronto
Anything to do with star-chef Michael Stadtländer.

Prairies
Once you get off of Ontario’s rocky Canadian Shield, you’re into the prairie provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Manitoba, with massive Lake Winnipeg and a connection to Hudson’s Bay, was a historic transportation hub, the end of the line for pioneers who set off from Winnipeg by wagon train and Red River cart to populate the west.

Fish and fishers factor into Prairies cuisine—Icelandic immigrants populated areas around Gimli on the namesake lake—fishing pickerel or walleye and smoking Winnipeg goldeye. From the land, game birds like duck and geese migrate through this region’s marshlands and end up in family freezers, and there are many shallow lakes where wild rice is produced. Grain is grown across the Prairies—wheat, barley, oats, canola, even Manitoba Harvest hemp—and other famous field crops like mustard, lentils and beans.

Saskatoon berries are also eaten across the Prairies (the dried berries plus bison make pemmican) and now there are U-picks for berries and even prairie sour cherries. Beyond pickerel, there’s sustainably farmed trout and Arctic char, birch syrup and enough malted Canadian barley for lots of good artisan beer labels and brew pubs. There’s also a strong Eastern European community in these two provinces, with many immigrants from Ukraine, Poland and Romania. The local ingredients and ethnic traditions influence chefs, so you’ll find things like crispy pickerel fillets and wild-mushroom perogies on some of the best menus.

Typical tastes:

• Red Fife wheat
• Saskatoon berries
• Smoked Winnipeg goldeye
• Wild rice
• Pickerel
• Prairie cherry spreads and chocolates
• Perogies

Hot spots:

• Janis and Remi Cousyn’s Calories restaurant and Souleio, Saskatoon, SK
• Weczeria, Saskatoon, SK
• Baba’s Perogies, Saskatoon, SK
• The Willow on Wascana, Regina, SK
• Current Restaurant and Lounge, Winnipeg, MB
• Smokin’ Okies BBQ, Regina, SK
• Bushwakker Brewpub, Regina, SK

Alberta
Alberta is both a prairie and mountain province, its foothills (where cattle ranching is king) the physical transition from one kind of geography to the other. Alberta farmers produce most of the country’s barley—to feed that cattle—so beef and beer are big on menus.

But Alberta is also a wealthy, oil-producing province with lots of jobs and corporate head offices, so you’ll see a kind of upscale, cosmopolitan cuisine here that is typical of larger centres. Wine bars with small plates to share are popular for downtown dining, and there are plenty of sushi bars, noodle houses, plus Italian, Indian and Tex-Mex spots.

In the mountain parks—from Kananaskis north to Banff and Jasper—a kind of unique Canadian Rocky Mountain cuisine, featuring wild game such as elk and bison, and foraged foods including mushrooms and berries, has been developed by chefs at Buffalo Mountain Lodge in Banff and other regional spots.

Still, the cowboy lifestyle is alive in Alberta and that beefy ranch and prairie farm vibe runs through many big city establishments, whether it’s nose-to-tail dining at Calgary’s CHARCUT or steak at Open Range. Top chefs feature local free-range meats and poultry—from Spragg’s pork and Sunworks Farm chicken to Driview Farms lamb—on their locally inspired menus, with wood-fired grills and rotisseries popular for cooking the meaty fare.

Typical tastes:

• Alberta Beef
• Big Rock beer
• Spolumbo’s sausages
• Valbella Gourmet Foods charcuterie (including wild game sausages)
• Sylvan Star Cheese aged Gouda
• Bernard Callebaut chocolates
• Bison (aka buffalo)
• Saskatoon pie

Hot spots:

• CHARCUT, Calgary
• NOtaBLE, Calgary
• Rouge, Calgary
• River Café and Boxwood, Calgary
• FARM, Calgary
• Spolumbo’s, Calgary
• The Bison, Banff
• Canadian Rocky Mountain cuisine at Buffalo Mountain Lodge, Banff
• Hardware Grill, Edmonton
• Culina Highlands, Edmonton
• ECOcafé at Pigeon Lake

British Columbia
British Columbia has a strong British past (especially evident during afternoon tea in the province’s capital, Victoria), but it’s also been a magnate for immigrants, including gold miners, lumberjacks, and the Japanese and Chinese immigrants of Vancouver and Richmond (the largest Chinatown in Canada).

On the food front, BC offers a wealth of riches—from beef and seafood to tree fruit and wine. The coastal communities are fishing communities, and BC is known for its wild sockeye, pink, coho, and Chinook salmon, deep-sea halibut and sablefish (a.k.a. black cod), Fanny Bay oysters and the wild spot prawns—some of the only sustainable shrimp around.

Delta is famed for growing cranberries and other vegetables, especially greenhouse tomatoes. The central Okanagan region, sprawling north to south along a chain of massive lakes, has peaches, apples, plums and wine grapes for making some of the country’s most intense and awarded wines.

Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands are microclimates of their own, producing fresh fruit, wine grapes and woodlands bursting with chanterelle, morel and other wild fungi. In Whistler, Haida Gwaii and points north, look for smoked salmon, Matsutake, and coastal other First Nations cuisine.

Like the rest of the west coast, Vancouver is at once laid back, cosmopolitan and cutting-edge when it comes to cuisine. Here you’ll find some of the world’s top chefs—Daniel Boulud, Jean-Georges Vongerichten—with satellite restaurants, and some of Canada’s top culinary talents, including James Walt at Araxi in Whistler, Robert Clark at C Restaurant and David Hawksworth at Hawksworth. It’s here where forward-thinking culinary concepts start: Ocean Wise sustainable seafood, charcuterie, local culinary tourism (see Edible BC), wine and creative cocktail bars.

Tour around the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island or hit Vancouver’s Granville Island Public Market to see what fresh Canadian food is all about.

Typical tastes:

• Sockeye salmon
• Sushi
• Dim sum
• BC wines (especially pinot gris, chardonnay, riesling and pinot noir)
• First Nations cuisine (bannock with smoked salmon)
• Fanny Bay oysters
• Nanaimo bars
• Wild chanterelle mushrooms

Hot spots:

• Blue Water Café + Raw Bar, Vancouver
• Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca, Vancouver
• Salt Tasting Room, Vancouver
• Silk Road Tea, Victoria
• Araxi, Whistler
• Barefoot Bistro, Whistler
• Red Fish Blue Fish, Victoria
• KINGYO IZAKAYA, Vancouver
• Sun Sui Wah Seafood, Vancouver and Richmond
• Campagnolo, Vancouver
• RauDZ, Kelowna
• JAPA DOG (creative street food), Vancouver
• Tojo’s, Vancouver
• Sooke Harbour House, Vancouver Island
• Spinnakers, Victoria

Article courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission Media Centre:

Writers Bio: Cinda Chavich is the former food editor and senior feature writer for the Calgary Herald and the Calgary Sun. Specializing in cuisine, cultural history, eco-travel, lifestyle and trends, Chavich contributes to The Globe and Mail, CBC radio, Avenue (Calgary), Chatelaine, Canadian Geographic, Westworld, up!, Wine Access, Food Service & Hospitality and Alberta Parent, as well as American publications Wine Spectator, Cooking Light and Relish. From cod tongues in Newfoundland to truffles in northern Italy, Chavich is keen to explore the unique corners of Canada. www.tastereport.com.