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LIFE’S ULTIMATE QUESTION: WHAT SHALL WE EAT NEXT?
I’m riding my bike through the trails along the Niagara Escarpment behind Langdon Hall, taking in the sights and smells of the woods and forgetting about the bustle back in the city. A deer leaps from the trail and disappears into a stand of trees— and the first thing that comes to mind is the delicate beauty of nature. Then: “Mmmm. Delicious.” And then: “I wonder what wine Sylvain would pair with that?” It must be a back-to-the-land kind of thing. The outdoors makes me hungry. Or maybe it’s just the quiet that amplifies the rumbling in the stomach. For me, that’s what a weekend getaway should be. Tranquility and a great meal. Langdon Hall was the first place to come to mind when we contemplated a fall escape. The Relais & Chateau property was built in 1898, and its sweeping lawns, reflecting pool and terraces provide perfect sanctuary. More importantly, it’s close—just an hour or so from Toronto down the 401 west to Cambridge. And even more importantly, chef Jonathan Gushue is a wizard with the bounty of local products he finds at his doorstep (both from area farmers and his own garden). But, true wine nerd that I am, the big draw is Sylvain Brissonnet, the French-born sommelier and dining room manager. His skills at wine and food pairings are many. I remember a previous visit in which he matched an elegant and robust Australian cabernet to Gushue’s fragrant roast lamb leg, knowing the pungent spicy mint aromas of the wine—the vineyards grow near eucalyptus trees—would subtly add seasoning to the dish. Rare it is for chef and sommelier to work so close, continually acting and reacting in order to get things just right. “Jonathan is a chef who understands me,” says Brissonnet. “Most will just cook for themselves. But I can suggest little changes to make a dish go with the wine and he will do it.” It’s just two years or so since Gushue arrived at Langdon, and he’s quickly redirected the menu toward lighter yet richly flavoured fare. As much as possible, he’s bringing food production in-house, starting with the garden, but extending to breads, pastries, preserves and some charcuterie. The goal is to become completely self-sufficient (baring the meats, fish… and wine.) Even the butter is house-made: “We get 100 litres of heavy cream from Harmony Organics every week,” Gushue says. “We make 130 pounds of butter. And it’s made the real difference with the croissants—suddenly the texture is just right. For tea, we make our own puff pastry, which is crisper and lighter.” Of the bountiful breakfast buffet—replete with pastries, granola, smoked salmon and yoghurt—Gushue says: “There’s not a thing on that table we didn’t make.” Dinner here is relaxed but serious, the menu extensive but not pandering. There are accessible choices for the less adventurous, but you don’t get the feeling anything has been dumbed down. Grouper ceviche, grilled mackerel with mussel duxelle, and red mullet filet reveal Gushue’s ease with seafood, which is delivered fresh daily. Marinated bison filet is tender, mineral, fragrant. Meticulously aged beef tenderloin from the Cheese Boutique punctuates a languorous and wide-ranging romp through the chef’s tasting menu. A serious by-the-glass program rotates continually, but Brissonnet’s Loire heritage comes through in the presence—most of the time—of Vouvray, a versatile wine made of Chenin Blanc. At one of our meals, a dry Vouvray provided the superior match to dish after dish of seafood, a butter-poached lobster delivering the perfect fatty foil to the Chenin’s crisp acid bite. One is tempted to order another (lobster and Vouvray, that is). Spinning around Langdon’s trails by bike brings the mind to perfect solitude—and all there is to do is ponder the next meal. Get just enough exercise to summon the appetite, then tuck in for another round. It’s the perfect getaway—and I hear they have a spa, too. ____________________ Visit Langdon Hall's website at www.langdonhall.ca. Dick Snyder is the Editor of City Bites, Toronto's foremost food and wine magazine. Contact Dick at dick@citybites.ca | |
