When the stars seem to shine like you’ve had too much wine that’s Amaro

When the stars seem to shine like you’ve had too much wine that’s Amaro.

O.K. I’m paraphrasing but no one can argue that these famous digestivos of Italy pack a punch.

Amaro is a bitter liqueur that normally combines a series of herbs to create a unique flavour. The recipes are fiercely guarded and each town and village has its preferred recipe. Basically, anyone who can make wine, can distill grappa. Anyone who has a grappa has probably experimented with infusing local herbs to make an amaro. They settle the stomach, invigorate the nerves and calm the mind. I have no medical evidence for any of these claims.

When in Italy, amaro is normally served by itself in a liqueur glass. That having been said, some people have it in their coffee. I have even had amaro poured into my finished espresso cup and been told to add a cube of sugar. The point is, like all drinks in Italy, amaro is served in relation to the meal. Aperitivi give you an appetite and digestivi help you digest. Easy.

Even if the local amaro is not unique and obscure it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t indulge. There is a reason that Fernet Branca is so popular. I know you are thinking of that bottle at the local bar that is gathering dust and hasn’t seen action for several years. Well, you don’t live in Verona, do you? That same bottle wouldn’t last one night in a reasonably busy Italian bar. Don’t take my word for it. Take a look across the counter next time you’re in Rome. Actually, as everyone will be staring at the tourist leaning across the bar, you had better order one while you are at it.

True story. Well, mainly true.

The first time I tried amaro I thought someone was trying to poison me. I was young and not a heavy drinker. Neither of these problems assail me now. I was with a ‘friend’ who was telling us an old family story. (It turned out to be the plot to ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’). Anyway he lost a bet or something and had to buy the next round. He came back with a round of drinks without divulging the contents of our glasses. We were told to ‘down them in one sip’ and being young, we readily complied. You are not meant to ‘shoot’ Fernet Branca! We were convinced it was arsenic until our friend’s convulsions of laughter made it clear that it was just another part of the big, wide world. Don’t be like me. Have your first amaro intentionally!

Sipping Tea on the Ceylon Tea Trails

It’s 7am in Sri Lanka’s Bogawantalawa Valley, hours away from the capital city Colombo. I slip out of my room at the Ceylon Tea Trails’ Tienstin Bungalow and take a seat on patio. Before me lies a sea of green – tea fields enveloped in a thick cloud of mist. My only accompaniment is a cup of freshly brewed Ceylon tea with a slice of lemon and birdsong. As I take my first sip, I think about the magical sway this beverage has on tea aficionados across the world.

A trip here brings you into the heart of tea country where rolling hills of fresh tea form a picturesque backdrop against the azure sky. Ironically, in the 1800s Sri Lanka was initially a coffee growing nation – until the crops were wiped out by a fungus. As a substitute for coffee, the former British colonial rulers planted the humble tea crop. Today, more than 400,000 acres stand testament to that foresight and this ‘green gold’ remains one of the country’s most famed exports.

Slipping into the past is easy at the Ceylon Tea Trails bungalows that are owned by the local Dilmah Tea Company. Four refurbished colonial bungalows complete with stately dining rooms and manicured gardens offer visitors a luxurious stay reminiscent of the tea planter’s lifestyle. But that’s not what brings me here. It’s their epicurean vacations that draws inspiration from garden fresh produce in their own backyard.

Keen to try a traditional Sri Lankan breakfast I opt for starting the day with a riot of spices – another of the country’s main exports. Feathery string hoppers (rice pancakes) generously soak up the curry swimming with pieces of potato. The fish curry has a real kick that’s soothed by the sweet coconut in the kiribath (milk rice). The fragrant spread is accompanied by a juicy coconut sambol redolent of chilli and, of course, a pot of freshly brewed Ceylon Supreme Blend.

Surrounded by verdant tea plants, the day is spent leisurely strolling or biking through the serpentine paths. As I stop for a picnic along the way, I think I could get used to this pace of life. Next stop is a tour with the resident tea planter along Dilmah’s trails and I watch tea being hand picked, then fermented and packaged using century old artisanal methods in the factory. The tour aptly ends with a tea tasting, where I learn the intricacies of its flavours and leave feeling like a bit of a connoisseur.

Back at the bungalow I’m already looking forward to dinner – a tea-infused meal using Dilmah’s flavoured and single estate teas. My first course is a beetroot and orange salad dressed in a vinaigrette made with Spicy Berry tea. It’s followed by a succulent roast chicken anointed in a gravy of Yatta Watte (low-grown tea). Then comes the meal’s decadent sweet ending – a modern tiramisu with velvety layers of Orange Pekoe scented cream. My opinion about tea was revolutionized. It was no more just a soothing beverage, but rather, a gourmet ingredient that can hold its own.

As I sipped my post-dinner cup of tea infused with a stick of cinnamon, I couldn’t help but silently thank the former colonial rulers. Languorous meals, a locavore approach to eating, fresh air and a slower pace of life – the tea planters knew what they were doing. Little wonder Ceylon Tea Trails has been listed as Sri Lanka’s first Relias&Chateaux Resort. So the next time I need to escape, I’m returning for a trip back in time and a cuppa at this tea lover’s paradise.

Savouring the Culinary Renaissance of Ottawa

The night before I join Paola St-Georges on her “Foods of the ByWard Market Tour” in this nation’s capital, we dine at local hot spot Navarra. We’re joined by local food bloggers Don and Jen, the duo behind the city’s “Foodie Prints” blog where they discuss and review everything local and edible. Navarra is a sliver of Spain as interpreted through the trained palate of Chef René Rodriguez. Fiery reds, sleek banquettes and waiters who look like hot-blooded Flamenco dancers choreograph their way through dinner service. The food is as hot, figuratively, hence why it’s recognized by Ottawa Magazine as one of the city’s Top Ten tables.

Over a platter of sliced Iberico ham, I ask Paola how she got the idea of creating and giving food tours in Ottawa. She smiles saying, “If I had said ‘let’s explore the food scene here’ 10 years ago, you might have laughed. I actually got the idea from Don. I read an article he recommended about New York's famous food tours and I was captivated by the idea. I also realized that Ottawa's food scene was ready for these tours too.”

Before you scoff at the notion, let me pre-empt hasty judgments by saying that the last time I was in Ottawa, in the late 90s, that city’s food scene didn’t resemble this version in the least. Paola explains this saying, “The last 10-15 years has seen the emergence of a truly local, thriving food scene here. Chefs have opened their own restaurants and made it a priority to use local, seasonal ingredients while bringing their own style to dishes they serve,” adding, “Local farmers, assisted by organizations such as Savour Ottawa, have found new, enthusiastic restaurant clients. The public has shown an ever-increasing level of interest in all things food and is now buzzing about everything from new local cheeses to the latest "must-visit" restaurant.” The result of this new-found vigour is C’est Bon Cooking which includes classes helmed by Chef Andrée Riffou and tours like the one I’m about to head out on.

We start mid-morning the next day, with Paola leading the way commencing at the eponymous Metropolitain Brasserie- one of the most frequented spots for politicians and pundits during “Hill Hour.” Housing the city’s largest raw oyster bar, it’s got the requisite French café tables, chairs, and menu including crisp frites served with a side of aioli mayo. Poli sci nerds can be found gawking at their legislative heroes and heroines on any given afternoon.

We head around the corner to marvel at the Château Laurier where famed photographer Yousuf Karsh snapped the iconic image of Winston Churchill- the scowl comes from having grabbed Churchill’s cigar from his mouth!

Sumptuous afternoon tea at Zoe’s Lounge still reigns supreme at the Château. But it’s the beautiful, hidden courtyards near the market that captivate and transport me to a little French town- each one a rabbit’s warren of treasures including Planet Coffee and the Black Tomato café.

Along the way, we sip, savour and chat to chefs, shop owners, ByWard Market fruit and vegetable merchants and butchers- all proudly displaying organic produce or prized cuts from heritage breeds. I make a mental note of stopping by La Bottega Nicastro after the tour to shop at my leisure after spotting award-winning Ottawa valley cheddars. We end our tour at Le Boulanger Français where hot butter croissants await.

As Paola points out, within Ottawa city limits, there are a whopping 1267 farms- everything they need to have a flourishing food scene literally located inside the city’s urban boundary. “It's a wonder it took so long to develop!” says Paola. But now that the secret’s out and farmers, chefs and shop owners alike are getting an economic shot in the pocket book by engaged food-lovers, the future looks deliciously bright for Ottawa. And it’s about time!