by Edith Cody-Rice
In a packed Ron Caron auditorium, Savvy Company held its first foodie event in Almonte — Outstanding in their Fields Taste & Buy — on Wednesday.
Savvy company was created in Carp by Debbie Trenholm in her parent’s basement several years ago when she realized that there are 300 wineries in Ontario, most not represented in the LCBO, and decided to showcase wineries craft beer, cider, cheese & gourmet artisans and cheesemakers from Ontario in events that her company holds in Ottawa 3-4 times per year. Everything featured at Outstanding in their Fields is locally made (in Ontario that is) and not available at the LCBO or grocery stories.
Debbie remembers Almonte from her childhood and is impressed to find so many people interested in food and wine here. That led to her trying out her event at the Old Town Hall this year for the first time and it was well attended. The auditorium was abuzz with happy nibblers and quaffers who could sample all of the many drink and eat offerings included in their $50 ticket.
Cheese on display at Cool Curds (above) included Lindsay Banded Cheddar and 2 chevres (goat milk, Mariposa Dairy, Lindsay, Ontario), Celtic Blue and Nevis (cow milk, Glengarry Fine Cheese, Lancaster, Ontario), Gunn’s Hill 5 Brothers reserve (cow milk, Woodstock, Ontario)
Tim and Micheline Kuepfer started with little more than a dream about living in the country with their young children when they purchased their 34 acre farm with three hayfields, helpful neighbours, and a thousand newly planted grapevines. Today they have six thousand vines under cultivation.