A Note from Jane

When we started Wish five years ago, it was our plan to bring you the very best of fashion, beauty, home and food – because busy, stylish women, like you and me, want to put our best foot forward every day. The editors and experts at Wish worked overtime to find the solutions, deals, shortcuts and options to help make life easier – I can’t tell you how much we’ve enjoyed every step of the way.

Our loyal readers also pushed us to give more. It’s hard to imagine our 20-Minute Supper feature without wine pairings, but it was Jane from Ottawa who first suggested it four years ago: “I just received the second issue of Wish in the mail and read it from cover to cover. Then I went back to the website. We just had the Pesto Chicken Pasta – it was great! Next time, could we have a wine recommendation with the recipe?” Since November 2004, every Wish 20-Minute Supper has been paired with a complementary beverage suggestion.

Which brings to mind all the reader recipes we’ve printed. More than 1,000 entries to our 20-Minute Supper contests have helped raise the bar at dinnertime for hundreds of thousands of Canadian households. And you can still join the club! To find a fresh recipe for every night of the week or to track down one of your favourites, check out wish.ca/20minute – we’re still going strong.

In our last issue of Wish, editors and experts have identified many easy ways and insider ideas to build more wellness into your routine. I don’t think it has to mean giving up our favourite treats, just finding a balance. So, as we suggest in the pages of our last issue: Feel great. Look great. Eat well. Sleep well. Exercise (even when you’re pressed for time). Never get sick. Whistle while you work. Smile at strangers. Laugh – just because! It’s time to kick-start the best year of your life.

Experts have told us this is the beginning of the end of many of our favourite things. The current economic climate has made it impossible for us to continue delivering all you’ve come to expect from us here at Wish. It is with sadness – and many fond memories – that I say goodbye on behalf of every Wish staffer, supporter and contributor. It has been our pleasure.

- Jane Francisco, Editor in Chief

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Dark Decor

I’m probably the biggest Halloween skeptic there is. Sure, it’s fun to get dressed up and it’s an excellent excuse to party, but decorating with the typical pumpkin and spider-web decorations year after year can get predictable. After finding these fabulously spooky accessories from Pottery Barn, I was inspired to shake things up and throw a dramatic, gothic Halloween party. The best part? Virtually no prep time. To set the Addams Family-esque mood, grab some black or deep red velvet from your local fabric store and drape it over the snack and bar tables. Place your everyday candle holders, or better yet a candelabra, with black tapers on top. Set up a drink-creation station with Halloween-candy garnishes (black licorice, puréed fruit, grapes and berries) and beverages (the alcoholic type). Complete it with these ghostly double-old-fashioned glasses. If you’re like me and eyeball martinis aren’t really your thing, leave the gory creativity to your guests.
- Emilie Dingfeld, Editorial Intern

Black taper candles, $15 (set of 8); skull double-old-fashioned glasses, $35 (set of 4); skull votive holders, $28 (set of 4); candelabra, $99, all from Pottery Barn,potterybarn.ca.

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Apples Of My Eye

A captivating lecture, fantastic apple-inspired dishes and wonderfully informative experts made the Ontario Apple Celebration at Toronto’s Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar especially scrumptious this season! Real-fruit place settings adorned each table, where Ontario apple growers imparted wisdom on the versatility and variety of our own apples. The fruit carries the rep of being a healthy snack and an ingredient that can be thrown into virtually everything – from decadent dishes like sweet-potato pancakes with apple-compote salad, to spreads like apple butter (my personal favourite). But I was also reminded that apples can function as a gift for your teacher, a traditional game (bobbing for apples), and a very popular decor prop! The best apples are local ones, so this season, grab yourself a bushel – you will undoubtedly find a way to use them all!
To learn more about Ontario apples, go to onapples.com, or bite into one yourself!
- Amy Thrasher, Editorial Intern

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Chocoholics Rejoice!

If that mid-afternoon sugar craving won’t leave you alone, indulge in one of these gourmet chocolate bars. They come in eight yummy flavours (white chocolate raspberry truffle, dark chocolate mojito mint, and milk chocolate peanut butter praline, to name a few) and promise to help do great things like maintain strong bones and boost vitamin levels. A confessed – and skeptical – chocoholic, I tried the dark chocolate mixed berries (full of probiotics, which are great for intestinal health, among other things) and was amazed at how delicious it was. The creamy, smooth texture and subtle hint of berry satisfied my sweet tooth in seconds flat. Tip: Keep one in your purse or desk drawer in lieu of a trip to the vending machine.
- Hannah Bank, Assistant Home & Food Editor

Chocolate Plus, $2.50, Shoppers Drug Mart.

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Shucking at Shediac

Summer is definitely the time to experience the Fundy coastal region of New Brunswick – the highest tides in the world make hiking, sea kaying, beaching and horseback-riding excursions extra exciting. One of the highlights is Shediac – New Brunswick’s quaint Acadian town and lobster capital of the world. I boarded Shediac Bay Cruises for Lobster Tales, a “Frenglish” adventure at sea where passengers learn all about the world’s tastiest crustaceans – most importantly, the proper way to eat the delicacy. Our enthusiastic host demonstrated how to break down each and every appendage, and how to extract the most meat possible from each (think of the legs like almost-exhausted toothpaste tubes). He instructed us on which parts are best to eat, which are often neglected but actually quite delightful (yes, that greeny-brown sludge is edible), and which (very few) should be avoided. Even more impressive than the ease in which he disassembled his prey, was his ability to switch back and forth from French to English without boring the mixed crowd. With courage from Alpine beers at the boat’s bar, we dove into our plates and put our knowledge to the test with a traditional Acadian lobster meal. Errant lobster essence spewed this way and that, hands and thumbs were cut and bleeding, and David Suzuki would pale at the wasted rolls of paper-towel napkins. But in the end, as we wet-napped our hands, wiped our mouths on our sleeves and looked down at our ravaged plates into the eyes of that empty-shelled friend, we knew we’d served him well – by extracting every last morsel we could of his juicy, white flesh.
- Julia LeConte, Assistant Editor, Copy & Research

See lobstertales.ca for more information, and tourismnewbrunswick.ca for more Bay of Fundy highlights.

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Functional Gum

We thought it was coming... and now chewing gum with antioxidants is here! We tried all three flavours of Bonus Gum, and liked them. Two pieces of Green Tea gum (minty) have the same benefits as two cups of green tea; Cranberry (fruity) is made with real fruit; and Energy Gum – containing guarana, a natural caffeine source – has kick. We just wish the flavour would last longer!
- Tory Healy, Food Associate

Bonus Function Gum, about $1.50 each, bonusgum.com.

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Drive My Car

For about a year I’ve been a member of an auto-sharing company – you book a car online, drive for however long you want, and are charged by the hour. It’s convenient but not all that cost-effective. Needless to say, I was very excited to learn about City Flitz – a new auto-sharing program that rents cars for only $1 per day. The catch? Cars are wrapped in a corporate sponsor’s logo (so you become a moving billboard) and you have to remain in the GTA (in order to reach the sponsor’s target market). The new auto-share has widely been received – over 1000 members have pre-registered in Toronto and there are plans to launch in Vancouver. To become a member, you must be 23 or older, hold a G licence and pay a one-time admin fee of $30, and a $350 security deposit that’s refundable when you discontinue membership. Once a member you have access to Mini Coopers and Clubmans as well as Smart cars that are all equipped with GPS and WiFi. Perfect for flitzing around town!
- Leah Weber, Home Market Editor

Check it out at cityflitz.com.

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Scrumptious Sleepover

Feeling VIP at a posh hotel is difficult these days. Pseudo-celebrities and doormen with Napoleon complexes often make us feel more like the mosquito’s armpit than the bee’s knees. Enter the InterContinental hotel. A serious contender to swanky hotels in its glamorous Yorkville neighbourhood, it comes across as the younger sister who wasn’t asked to her prom, and therefore developed a personality. The little blunders in a hotel of its calibre – think CD players instead of iPod docks and the SkyLounge located on the terrain level – become adorable imperfections. Creating personalized packages for special sojourns is the InterContinental’s latest selling point. I loved “Dine Around the World” – an experience that includes a personalized, international dining itinerary and a $50 credit toward the aforementioned sky bar. The hotel’s affable executive chef Christopher Perera treated me to delectables like chocolate sushi, and it didn’t hurt that I stayed on a Thursday, when during summer and early fall the patio serves up grilled delights like scrumptious ginger-shrimp kebab and mini lamb chop for a mere $3 and $4.50 a pop. Back in my room, I wrapped up in the Hermès-orange blanket and drifted off feeling replete, urbane and very important, indeed.
- Nadia Litz, Editorial Intern

"Dine Around the World" package, from $215/night (double occupancy), InterContinental Toronto Yorkville, 220 Bloor St. W., (416) 960 5200.

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Swedish Coffee Fix

Next time you’re scooting down the aisles of Ikea, don’t overlook the Swedish food market. In our December issue we raved about its Swedish rye bread – you basically add water to the box, shake it up and bake! Now I’m all about their coffee line, which is entirely UTZ Certified. UTZ is an independent, not-for-profit organization that sets standards for responsible coffee growing. It traces all coffee back to the source, ensuring plantation workers have access to reasonable housing, healthcare and education for their children. In addition, to gain UTZ certification, plantations must have a low impact on the environment. So while drinking Ikea’s Organic Medium Roast coffee – one of five blends – I get to breathe easier. And, of course, it tastes really good!
- Tory Healy, Food Associate

UTZ Certified coffees, from $2.50 (250 g), utzcertified.org/IKEA.

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Putting It All Out There

When was the last time you ran a race in your underwear? If the answer is never, this is your chance. Throw on your boy shorts and sports bra, or if you’re feeling shy keep your tracksuit on, and participate in the raciest race in Canada. Sunnybrook’s Odette Cancer Centre in Toronto and the Segal Cancer Centre in Montreal are hosting the Underwear Affair (racers have already undressed this summer in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton), an event designed to raise funds for cancers below the waist such as prostate, colorectal, cervical and ovarian. Participants of all ages and athletic abilities are encouraged to take part in the 10K run or 5K walk. The best part – other than helping fund life-saving research, of course – is once you cross the finish line, you can treat yourself to drinks at the Exposed Afterparty and enjoy some dancing – that is, if your legs don’t feel like spaghetti.
- Mila Kadelkova, Editorial Intern

Toronto Race: Saturday, August 23, 2008
Montreal Race: Saturday, September 20, 2008
Visit uncoverthecure.org for more information.

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Cool News About Frozen Yogurt

A trip down the frozen-food section of your grocery store can cause brain freeze – there are just too many choices. But it’s still wise to plan ahead for when summer’s heat strikes and you need to chill STAT by having a cold (and healthy!) treat at the ready. I just found my new fave: YoPRO’s Ultimate French Vanilla.
This frozen yogurt is fragrant, buttery-smooth, very vanilla-y (but not overly sweet), and a little goes a long way – it’s rich and satisfying. The best bit: the label! A half-cup serving provides 12 grams of whey protein and 200 milligrams of potassium, plus calcium and just 2 grams of fat. The ingredients are kosher, peanut- and nut-free, and the yogurt is part of the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Health Check program. Now I have to try out the other flavour: Super Premium Chocolate. Yum!
- Tory Healy, Food Associate

YoPRO Ultimate French Vanilla Frozen Yogurt, about $6 (500 ml), available at grocers across Ontario, yoprotreats.com.

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Move Over, Mojito

The Basil 8 is so refreshing, you may have to start growing your own basil. (And making your own vodka!)

While sampling the culinary treats of Table 8 South Beach (little sister to L.A.’s hot Table 8), we came upon a hit. Kind of like a vodka version of Miami’s famous mojito, this new concoction is cool and light, perfect any time of the day. OK, maybe not with breakfast.

The Basil 8 | SERVES 1
4 large fresh basil leaves
4 green grapes
1 1/2 oz vodka
1 dash Angostura bitters
3/4 oz simple syrup
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz ginger ale

1. In a pint shaker glass, add basil and grapes, and crush with a muddler or wooden spoon. 2. Add vodka, bitters, simple syrup and lime juice, fill glass with ice, then shake for 6 seconds. 3. Strain over fresh ice into a tall glass, top with ginger ale, and garnish with a skewer of grapes and a large basil leaf.

Click here for our super-easy simple syrup recipe.

The restaurants are brainchildren of celebrity chef Govind Armstrong, an advocate for the increasingly popular fresh and local approach. Innovation is key; this is likely the only place in the world you can get a fried olive stuffed with minced lamb. No guff. Watch for a New York version of the place opening this fall. Visit table8southbeach.com.
-Doug Wallace, Deputy Editor
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Lovely Lavender

On a recent press trip to Kelowna, B.C., I had the pleasure of visiting the Okanagan Lavender Herb Farm. Owner, Andrea McFadden, gave me a warm welcome, seating me on her patio to take in the gorgeous view of the Okanagan Lake below and to enjoy some of her specialty treats, Lavender Lemonade and Lavender Lemon Cake. I must admit I had no idea you could eat this pretty flower and thought its only use was for aromatherapy purposes. As I sipped and nibbled, she explained there are more than 400 varieties of lavender (on her farm she grows more than 60) and that it can be used fresh, dried and distilled. Then Andrea took me on a tour of her fragrant, beautiful gardens and sent me on my way with a sampling of her Lavender Blueberry Ice Cream (incredible). It was the perfect way to end my afternoon.
- Sarah Rogers, Online Editor

Visit okanaganlavender.com to plan your own visit to the farm or to shop for organic lavender products.

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Coming Up Roses

It’s sweet, it’s pretty, and it’s pink! This organically produced rose nectar (there are 45 grams of real rose petals in a 250 ml bottle!) can be served on its own or mixed with gin, vodka, sake or champagne for a refined and sophisticated summer cocktail. For the mocktail version, just mix with soda water and serve with a twist of lemon. It’s so refreshing and loaded with vitamin C. Fun fact: One of Leonardo da Vinci’s favourite beverages was rosewater from Kazanlak, the capital city of the famous Rose Valley in Bulgaria – the same place the roses in this nectar are harvested.
- Hannah Bank, Assistant Home & Food Editor

Rare European Rose Nectar, about $7 (250 ml), Sence, sencenectar.com.

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Canada Day Instant Gourmet

If you’re entertaining, here’s a party food solution. When first-rate, Toronto-based caterer Lindsey Shaw recently introduced her new line of condiments, each of us in the food department took one home.
Hannah Bank tried the Slow Roasted Tomato and Caper Relish on a toasted baguette, declaring it a great spin on bruschetta. She also tried it alongside halibut, to flavourful success.
Andrea Stewart had her Caramelized Onion and Fig Compote on crackers but is looking forward to spreading it on her next homemade chicken sandwich, or pairing it with blue cheese.
Me, I served up the Roasted Garlic and Parsnip Mash with crackers and crudités for my – apparently ravenous – girlfriends and just barely got to try it myself. Check out Lindsey’s serving ideas online and you’ll have your party spread figured out in no time. And while only available at select shops in Toronto, don’t fret – the line will be making its way across Canada soon. Watch for it.
- Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

Lindsey Shaw Kitchens condiments, $8 each (5 oz), lindseyshaw.com; Pusateri’s, pusateris.com; Summerhill Market, summerhillmarket.com.

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A Cool Red

Lightly chilled Beaujolais is the perfect summer red – its lighthearted, fresh, fruity flavour makes it fun to drink. Our wine writers – Billy Munnelly and Kato Wake – tipped us off to this one. Mommessin’s new aluminum bottle sports a ‘cooldot’ – letting you know when it’s chilled enough to drink. Pop it in the fridge, wait for the signal, then sip away. How cool is that? It’s in stores now, along with their ‘cooldot’ Chardonnay.
- Tory Healy, Food Associate

Mommessin 2006 Beaujolais Grande Reserve, France, $15 (750 ml), cooldotdot.com.

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Make Better Burgers

Award-winning chef and entertainer Ted Reader isn’t called the Crazy Canuck Barbecue Kingpin for nothing. And the proof is in his Orgasmic Onion Burger Seasoning Mix. I brought it home for a personal taste test and added a dash to my homemade burgers. It gave a great boost of oniony flavour and texture. Think of it as the gourmet version of onion soup mix with no MSG. Check out tedreader.com for more innovative recipes.
- Hannah Bank, Assistant Home & Food Editor

Ted Reader’s World Famous BBQ Orgasmic Onion Burger Seasoning Mix, $4.

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Pick the Bucket

Move over hibatchi! To the curb, kettle barbecue! There’s a new model in town, another super-smart alternative to the behemoth barbecue. All the rage, these little buckets are cropping up everywhere in bold colours and at great value. We like this flashy one best – its message is pretty clear on what summer cooking is all about. You can take it with you, it's easy to clean and easy to store. Flame on, dear friends, flame on.
- Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

Fire Bucket, about $50. Suck UK, suck.uk.com.

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Ode to Olives

“Olive oil is fresh juice,” says Claudia Pharand of Olive & Olives, a Montreal shop devoted almost exclusively to the gourmet kitchen staple. “The fresher the olive oil is, the more antioxidants it has,” she says. Everything in the shop is produced and bottled where the olives grow, and you can sample it all before you buy it. I taste-tested oils reminiscent of spicy, fresh-cut grass (not that I eat a lot of grass), peaches and pink grapefruit, and lemony figs. If you can’t be part of Claudia’s two-hour olive-oil workshops, here is an abridged version of her wisdom:

• “Always have two olive oils on hand – one for everyday use, and the other for salads and bread.”
• “Don’t buy olive oils that are sitting in a shop window sill or on top shelves near the lights.”
• “If there are no dates on the bottles, don’t touch them.”

The store also carries tapenades and mustards by popular Quebec caterer Denise Cornellier. Visit oliveolives.com.
- Doug Wallace, Deputy Editor

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