Archived eNewsleter Editions.
Gourmet Safari Events & Happenings.
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The Gourmet Food & Wine Expo.
November 2008
The Gourmet Food & Wine Expo will take place November 20-23, 2008 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and this year Gourmet Safari will be participating with our very own booth! Please stop by and say hello if you come out to the Expo. Each year the event attracts 35,000 visitors to sample more than 1200 wines, beers and spirits from around the globe and taste culinary samplings from Toronto’s top restaurants.
Hope to see you there, we'll be sampling various crepes!
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Gourmet Safari 'Test Drive' to Discover Spanish Tapas.
October 2008
 The Gourmet Safari 'Test Drive' event was a success - we had a great night sampling Spanish Tapas from our 'A Taste of Seville' culinary vacation.
Here is what was on the Tapas menu:
Tortilla Espagnol/Spanish Tortilla
Chicken & Roasted Red Pepper Skewers
Papas Castellanas/Toasted Potatoes
Pepper Salad with Croutons
Spanish Feta Cheese with Carmelized Onion Quesadilla
We all had a delicious time savouring Tapas and exquisite wines paired by Antonio, LCBO's Product Consultant. Que bueno!
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Take a Gourmet Safari 'Test Drive' to Discover Spanish Tapas with a Local Twist.
October and November 2008
If you are in Toronto, Canada in October or November 2008 we invite you to test drive a culinary travel food adventure with us to Sevilla, Spain to taste several Tapas dishes that have put Sevilla on the map as the 'Tapas Capital of the World'.
We welcome you to 'Test Drive' a travel food adventure to Spain. Imagine learning how to create delicious Spanish Tapas with a Chef at an authentic Spanish restaurant in Seville...well that is where it all happens in 'real life' in Spain. We'll walk you through a culinary vacation experience, beginning at a hotel in historical centuries-old Moorish-style buildings and exploring the beautiful countryside of olive groves and sherry cellars. We'll take you closer to Spain and teach you HOW to make an assortment of authentic healthful Tapas recipes with fresh produce. The delicious dishes will be paired with wines selected by our LCBO Product Consultant. One person will receive a Gift Certificate valued at $100 CAD off of the purchase price of a Gourmet Safari culinary vacation.
Where? The following LCBO locations:
The Kingsway - Thursday October 9th
Bayview Village - Tuesday October 21st
Summerhill - Thursday November 6th
Time? 6:30 - 8pm
Cost? Just $45 CAD to experience your own Gourmet Safari 'Test Drive' with fine foods and fine wines.
Interested? Contact us or pick up the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) Educational Program Guide - Autumn 2008 where you'll see the listing or visit the nearest LCBO location in person. Come out for a drive! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Irving Oil Cruisin' to Win - Savor Italy Contest.
September 2008
Win a Gourmet Safari for 2 to Italy!
Experience of a lifetime…Savor Italy with our Tuscan Chef Culinary Vacation.
Irving Oil held their Cruisin' to Win contest during the summer of 2008, with their draw taking place in September. The lucky winner won one of 3 grand prizes, they will fly to Florence, Italy and enjoy a one week stay at a prestigious Tuscan monastery including a five-day food and wine course.
The monastery and wine estate is in magnificent Chianti, a region that produces wine, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and other gourmet products. Includes a hands-on cooking course and guided excursions led by an experienced leader of the area’s food, wine and art.
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Discover Tuscany & Provence with Gourmet Safari.
November 2007
The Gourmet Safari 'Test Drive' event was a success - we had a great time test driving two of our culinary vacations – The Tuscan Chef and Passport to Provence. We welcomed ‘travellers’ on a combined travel and food adventure to Italy and France recently at the three LCBO Event Kitchen locations.
We took our ‘test flight’ to Tuscany and everyone savoured Rustic Tuscan cuisine - Spiedini Alla Bandiera (bococcini and tomatoes), Bruschetta Agli Antipasti and delicious Balsamic Glazed Chicken with Basil. Next we ‘travelled’ to Provence and enjoyed French Farmhouse cuisine - Rosemary Baked Potatoes, Asparagus with a Crème Fraiche Mayonnaise Sauce and finally the crème de la crème for dessert - Crème Brulee.
Click here for our Balsamic Glazed Chicken with Basil recipe...it's delicious!
The dishes were all paired with wines hand-picked by our LCBO Product Consultant, Antonio.
A good time was had by all on the ‘Test Drive’ – fine foods, fine wines and fine times.
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Discover Tuscany & Provence with Gourmet Safari
November 2007
 If you are in Toronto, Canada in November 2007 we invite you to test drive a culinary travel food adventure with us to Tuscany and Provence.
We welcome you to ‘Test Drive’ a travel food adventure to Italy and France. Imagine learning how to cook with a Chef at an intimate locale in the culinary superstar regions of Tuscany and Provence. We’ll walk you through a culinary vacation experience, beginning in Tuscany at a stunning 13th century farmhouse B&B, and ending at a magnificent country house set amidst age-old olive trees and lavender in Provence. We’ll take you closer to these 2 countries, and teach you HOW to make several authentic recipes. The delicious dishes will be paired with wines selected by our LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) Product Consultant. One person will receive a Gift Certificate valued at $100 CAD off of the purchase price of a Gourmet Safari culinary vacation.
Interested? Contact us or pick up the LCBO Educational Program Guide - Autumn 2007 where you'll see the listing. Come out for a drive!
Where? The following LCBO locations:
Bayview – Thursday Nov 8th
Summerhill – Thurs November 15th
Kingsway – Thurs November 29th
Time? 6:30 - 8pm
Cost? Just $35 CAD to experience your own Gourmet Safari ‘Test Drive’ with fine foods and fine wines.
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Moroccan Souk.
November 2007
Gourmet Safari was part of a 'Moroccan Souk' Event in Toronto to take visitors away and share what fascinates so many people about Morocco! It was an opportunity to speak with Canadian travellers, artists, crafts people, travel agents, culinary specialists - all who have been to Morocco and who shared their experiences. And of course Moroccan Mint Tea was on the menu. As close to a Moroccan Souk as possible...in North America that is!
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Come on A Taste of New Zealand 'Kiwi Test Drive'.
September 2007
 If you are in the Toronto area in September come on out for a taste of New Zealand and hear all about our Kiwi food adventure. To whet your appetite, come along for an exclusive ‘Kiwi Test Drive’ and sample a taste of New Zealand’s finest foods and exceptional wines. Meet your personal Chef for the journey down under in Cambridge (Ontario) on Thursday September 20th or Hemingway’s in Yorkville (Toronto, Ontario) on Monday September 24th. From 6:30 to 8:00 pm you will be treated to fresh coconut ceviche, lamb kabobs and a mouth watering Green Lipped Mussels dish – all paired with a selection of world class Kiwi wines. There will be a whole lot of Kiwi camaraderie, special gifts and offers that make attending more than worth the $35 registration fee. The ‘Kiwi Test Drive’ includes gourmet food tasting, two glasses of wine, entertainment, journey of a lifetime details and a donation to Breakfast for Learning.
Click here right away to listen to your own personal invitation and be ‘taken away’!
We’d love you to come with us, please RSVP to jackie@gourmetsafari.com or if you are anywhere in North America simply call us at 1-800-839.5795 by September 13th. Space is limited to this exclusive evening.
The time is now. Take the plunge and reward yourself with this incredibly unique, once in a lifetime experience to travel down under and immerse yourself in an amazing culture!
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Take a Gourmet Safari 'Test Drive'
October and November 2006
 If you are in Toronto, Canada in October or November 2006 we invite you to test drive a culinary travel food adventure with us to Morocco and Spain.
Moroccan cuisine is absolutely delicious with its exotic and alluring flavours. Worlds away from ours, the country and culture has such mystique attached to it and we’d love to take you there on one of our newly launched culinary vacations. You will also ‘travel’ to Spain – the Mediterranean’s culinary and wine star!
Imagine learning how to cook with a Chef at a villa in a stunning oasis just outside of Marrakech, or rubbing elbows with an amazing Cook at a 4th generation family home of stone in Catalonia - the heart of the foremost red wine & olive producing region of Spain. We’ll take you closer to these 2 countries, and teach you HOW to make several authentic recipes. The dishes will be paired with wines selected by a LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) Product Consultant. One person will receive a Culinary Discovery Gift Certificate valued at $100 CAD off of the purchase price of a Gourmet Safari culinary vacation or cooking class.
Interested? Contact us or pick up the LCBO Educational Program Guide - Autumn 2006 where you'll see the listing. Come out for a drive!
Where? The following LCBO locations:
Kingsway – Thurs Oct 12th
Burlington – Tues Oct 17th
Maple – Mon Oct 30th
Summerhill – Thurs Nov 2nd
Bayview – Tues Nov 7th
Time? 6:30 - 8pm
Cost? Just $35 CAD to experience your own Gourmet Safari ‘Test Drive’ with fine foods and fine wines.
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CTV and Dr. Oetker Contest.
September 2006
Win a Gourmet Safari for 2 in Italy!
It will be an experience of a lifetime…Satisfy your taste buds with real Italian Restaurant taste.
CTV Television Inc. and Dr. Oetker Ltd. are holding a Ristorante Pizza - Real Italian Restaurant Taste Contest from September 11th to October 8th, 2006. The grand prize is Gourmet Safari’s week long Florence Cuisine & Culture culinary vacation for two. Watch CTV to view the contest spot, and to enter the Contest simply visit the Contest page by clicking here and submit your entry.
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Gourmet Safari to Morocco Charity Event.
September 2006
The Gourmet Safari to Morocco charity event took off on September 10th. Guests travelled first-class and savoured sumptuous food as they experienced the ‘cities’ of Morocco whilst travelling from room to room and tent to tent.
Moroccan Ground Beef ‘Cigars’ and Briwats, Vine Leaves and Hummus with Pita bread were served in Rick’s Café. The spicy delight of the “tajine,” savoury salads and couscous in the Marrakech Room. Barbequed Kebobs on the Nomad Deck, and finally Moroccan Mint Tea and pastries in the Sultan’s Garden. A good time was had by all on our Moroccan food adventure and funds raised, thanks to the generous travellers, will ultimately provide nutritious meals to Canada’s children. Thank you to those who came.
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New Destination - Exotic Morocco!
March 2006
Introducing a brand new food adventure destination - Morocco, North Africa’s culinary star! The Moroccan cuisine is absolutely delicious with its exotic and alluring flavours. The country and culture has such mystique attached to it. It’s worlds away from ours and we’d love to take you there on one of our newly launched culinary vacations.
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LCBO The Kingsway.
‘Take a Gourmet Safari ‘Test Drive.’
February 2006
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The Gourmet Safari 'Test Drive' event was a success - we had a great time test driving three of our culinary vacations – Taste of Seville, Chianti Classico and Art de Vivre in the Loire. Everyone had a great time experiencing the food adventures (well…almost first-hand). We ‘toured’ the locales and savoured four tasty Tapas dishes from Seville, a delicious pasta dish from Chianti (where else) and a chocolate pate dessert from the Loire Valley…decadent. Of course all dishes were paired with excellent wines hand-picked by Angelo, our friendly LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) Product Consultant. |
The Invitation.
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Gourmet Safari welcomes you to test drive a culinary travel food adventure to Italy, France and Spain. Imagine learning how to cook with a chef at an intimate locale in Tuscany, Provence or Seville.
We’ll walk you through a culinary vacation experience, beginning in Tuscany at a stunning 13th century family farmhouse. You’ll even learn to make one or two authentic recipes, paired with wines selected by our LCBO Product Consultant. One person will receive a Culinary Discovery Gift Certificate valued at $100 CAD off of the purchase price of a Gourmet Safari culinary vacation or cooking class.
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Two new and exciting culinary vacations to France.
January 2006
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Both are authentic culinary experiences that immerse you into the region's cuisine & culture.
Bon Appetit!
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Newsletters are now Uncorked!
November 2005
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Introducing our brand new monthly column that features information about one of our favourite topics…wine. Featuring food/wine pairing recommendations and the latest in what’s happening in the huge world of wines.
Cheers! |
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George Brown College Spanish Culinary Event.
October 2005
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Chef Alex Mugica with Gourmet Safari Owner (and Foodie) Jackie at the College event. |
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Spanish Chef Mi Casa es Su Casa Event.
September 2005
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The Mi Casa es Su Casa Event was an exclusive engagement to meet Chef Alex Múgica from our Basque Food Adventure culinary vacation. To celebrate Spanish cuisine – savour pinchos (tapas from the immensely popular Navarre culinary region of northern Spain), sip specially selected wines and rub elbows with one of the great Chefs of Spain. We also collected donations for BREAKFAST FOR LEARNING at the event. |
Jowi Taylor Host - CBC Radio’s Global Village:
"I thought the party was great… The interview (with Chef Alex Mugica) went pretty well…He was very nice and revealed some very interesting things about gender roles in the world of Spanish gastronomie. Thanks again for setting all of that up. Well done (and great food - especially the tuna-toasts!)."
Matt Galloway Host - CBC Radio’s Here and Now:
"Just a note to say gracias for Friday night's event. Loads of fun, great food and drink, and the chef is a great guy…Thanks for having me by - it reminded me how much I love Spain, and how desperate I am to get back..."
Andrea Grimm - BREAKFAST FOR LEARNING's Director of Resource Development:"Thank you so much for a wonderful evening last Friday and for including all of us in your fun."
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The Exclusive Gourmet Safari Bonus Gourmet Gift Certificate.
August 2005
Now when you purchase your Gourmet Safari culinary dream vacation you also receive a Gourmet Gift Certificate valued at $100.00 CAD* and a shopping experience for the world's best gourmet products!
Imagine replicating the exact recipes that you made while away on your Gourmet Safari and creating a meal to remember when you return home. Now you can… we’ve partnered with Epicureal – the online gourmet store that invites you to choose your gourmet food items from virtual shelves stocked full of 100’s of specialty culinary items.
From the really exotic Spanish smoked paprika that everyone is raving about, to the delicious fleur de sel (salt) from France, to Spanish olive oil, to Italian balsamic vinegar…the sky is the limit with Epicureal.
Top quality foods are specially selected for the ‘foodie’ - normally hard-to-find products made readily available in one convenient virtual gourmet food shop all at the click of a mouse. Visit www.epicureal.com today to check out the selection and to plan how to spend your $100 Gourmet Gift Certificate. Bon Appetit. Enjoy your gourmet delights from Gourmet Safari and Epicureal!
*Minimum purchase of a one-week culinary vacation program. At this time Epicureal is not able to fill orders that are destined for outside of Canada or the US, but plans for expansion are in the works. If you reside in another country then we will happily reduce the Gourmet Safari culinary vacation price.
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LCBO Kingsway Store
Taste of the Kingsway Food Festival.
August 2005.
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Gourmet Safari owner Jackie DeKnock sharing her food experiences at this annual culinary event in Toronto Canada |
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