Oh my, apple pie and more

   One-Tank Trip for June 18-16

 

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Summertime and the eating is easy.

   Choose from everything with apples, Ontario’s best butter tarts and “artisanal” treats on the Toronto waterfront.

   Let’s start with caramel apple cinnamon buns from Heavenly Sweets in Collingwood and salad with apples from Andrew’s Roots Restaurant in Meaford.

   They’re among 40 stops and 12 “adventure partners” along the Apple Pie Trail.

   In this concentrated apple growing region, the trail winds its way from Creemore to Collingwood, through Blue Mountain Village and on to Meaford.

   Visitors will find the “best in local culinary experiences, vineyards, cideries, galleries, museums, artisan products and orchards plus a new Stay and Play package at the Westin Trillium House,” said Patti Kendall of the Blue Mountain Village Association.

   Outdoor adventures include hiking, biking, paddling and helicopter tours, all of which are coupled with food and drink pairings.

Caramel apple cinnamon buns are a treat at Heavenly Sweets in Collingwood.

   There’s a brochure and map to help guide visitors to products and experiences “unique to the region,” including the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, Niagara Escarpment and the vast expanse of Georgian Bay.

   Happy trails to you

   Added this year are Creemore, Stayner and Meaford with businesses such as Giffen’s Country Market with 17 types of apples, pick your own fruit, seasonal wagon rides, dining room and the “best” butter tarts in South Georgian Bay.

   Mad Maple Country Inn & Agriturismo offers cooking classes, private dining and “authentic” culinary events.

   Creemore Kitchen “embraces” its relationships with local farmers for dining experiences.

   100 Mile Store is packed with natural, organic fair trade and artisanal products including apple cider, fresh vegetables, meats, cheeses, soaps and salves.

A salad with apples is featured along the Apple Pie Trail at Andrew’s Roots Restaurant in Meaford.

 Creemore Farmer’s Market is Saturday mornings through Thanksgiving with seasonal events.

   Stayner Music Market & Park It offers locally produced and prepared foods, fruits and vegetables along with handmade crafts, music and a classic car show Thursday nights to Aug. 27.

   Georgian Hills Vineyards offers its dry cider (from left: Lynne Lundberg, Emma Howard and Robert Ketchin) along the Apple Pie Trail.

    Andrew’s Roots Restaurant in Meaford offers a “heightened taste on classic cuisine with a casual fine dining inspired by fresh, local ingredients.” Details: applepietrail.ca

   How sweet it is

   Visitors consumed and bought 100,000 butter tarts in the sweet-treat frenzy that is the Midland Butter Tart Festival.

   The Piping of the Tart kicked off last weekend’s fest with the 2015 winner Doo Doo’s Bakery, followed by the Midland Pipes and Drums.

These sweet treats were along 100,000 butter tarts consumed at the Midland Butter Tart Festival.

   Doo Doo’s of Bailieboro won first, second, third and best in show in the pro-bakers, perfect-pairing class this year.

   Honourable mention went to Kate’s Town Talk Bakery of Mississauga for its cherry pie butter tart.

   Pro-bakers’ traditional category winners were the Maid’s Cottage of Newmarket, followed by Baxter Kitchens, Toronto; Whistle Stop Cafe, Peterborough; and Kenogami’s Kitchen, Kirkland Lake, honourable mention. facebook.com/ilovebuttertarts

   Foodies and shoppers  

   It’s called the “perfect combination of food and shopping,” at the Waterfront Artisan Market, HTO Park (339 Queens Quay W.) in Toronto.

Waterfront Artisan Market

   “Visitors can discover talented chefs, shop for local artisan gifts and enjoy this stunning part of the city,” said Melissa Zuker, of the Toronto Market Company that operates the venture with the Waterfront BIA.

   The open-air market – with a “carefully curated mix of 50 top artisans, crafters, chefs and bakers – runs this weekend, July 1-3, July 30-Aug. 1, Sept. 3-5 and Oct. 8-10, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

   Food vendors offer treats such as colourful donuts from Miche Bakery; hot pastrami and corn beef sandwiches from Caplansky’s Deli; La Fiesta’s South American cuisine; and toppings from traditional caramelized onions and thick sour cream to creations such as Asian-inspired kimchi pierogis at Loaded Pierogi.

La Fiesta cooks up South American cuisine at the Waterfront Artisan Market.

   Come and Get It has sandwiches and salads; there are specialty frites from Jamie Kennedy’s Kitchen; and lemonade, limeade, ices or slushies made with fruit and organic cane sugar from Augie's Ice Pops. waterfrontartisanmarket.com

   Fox trot

   Dog Lovers Days happens today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Museum Square in Woodstock.

   “Your dog can enjoy a run on one of our fun lure courses, visit a free holistic healer in our Health and Wellness Centre, play in the Nutram Play Zone and watch Lottie the Collie and the Wunderdogs show,” said event director Mark Gross.

   There’s a Best Dressed Dog contest at 2 p.m. along with pet-related vendors. dogloversdays.com

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Jim Fox can be reached at onetanktrips@hotmail.com

For more One-Tank Trips: http://1tanktrips.blogspot.ca