Family Vacations/First Trip Together for these Mavens (part un)

     My family lives all over the place so unless someone, usually my Mom, makes plans for us to get together, it just doesn’t happen. This year, because of the pandemic, we’ve seen each other even less so when things opened up and she had the opportunity, my Mom rented a cottage in a small resort and campground, for us, on Manitoulin Island. My siblings brought their partners so, this single lady brought her partner in crime and all things Mavens, Wendy. Three of my Dad’s siblings and their spouses also rented cottages nearby. A real family reunion since I hadn’t seen some of these aunts and uncles in a very long time.

 

     This was my first proper holiday in over three years and Wendy’s first time to Manitoulin so we really wanted to make the best of it. Even though the island isn’t that far, a 5 hour drive, we spent our first night in Sudbury so I could visit with my cousin who was visiting from Russia. Lucky for me, we arrived on his last day of quarantine. But first, we stopped at several breweries and a distillery along the way.

 

     First stop, Trestle Brewing Company in the heart of Parry Sound. They are an independently owned craft brewery who seem to do small batches since their beer menu changes regularly. I wasn’t much of a beer drinker when I met Wendy, I don’t care for hoppy beers, but with a little education she showed me that there’s a beer for everyone. The names they’ve chosen reflect all things local such as Yard Sale Saturday, Underpass Micro IPA, South Channel Hazy Pale Ale and No Service Piña Colada and are often covered in artwork by local artists.

     Next, was Norse Brewery, a hole in the wall, just off Hwy 400 and North of Parry Sound. Concentrating on perfecting their craft, they carry Golden, Red, and Dark Ales along with a Norse Maibock. For those of you who love a strong hoppy beer, this one’s for you.

     The next stops were in Sudbury. If you’ve never driven North from Southern Ontario, there’s a lot of forest. Constantly changing from season to season, it’s a wondrous site. My favourite spot to stop in, when I visit family, is Crosscut Distillery.  You can find them in one of the industrial areas of Sudbury in what looks like an old office building. But once you’re inside, it’s beautiful and sexy (can you tell I love this place) but with an industrial feel, even their bottles reflect this. They also do small batch distilling, using ingredients that reflect it’s Northern Ontario roots such as their Local Harvest Gin, Spruce Tip Vodka, Haskap and Rhubarb Gin and Barrelled Mocha Liqueur. I think Wendy and I might almost have their entire collection, except I see they recently added a Citrus Flavoured Vodka, hmmm. What sets Crosscut apart from other distilleries, I think, is that they love showing off their spirits in cocktails (check out their Instagram) and they offer all those extras in their shop, mixers, bitters, garnishes and more.

     Lastly, just a couple of doors down, you can find 46 North Brewing.  Their tasting room looks fantastic with it’s rustic barn wood backdrop. They have a beer for everyone, American Ale, Sour, Lager and if you really aren’t a beer drinker, these guys also have 3 varieties of hard seltzer.

     With more alcohol than food in the car, it was time to head to the lake and relax before cooking dinner. My cousin, like me, has lived in many places around the world so I wanted to make paella for him. My pan, bought in Spain, is too big for stove top so I love making it over an open fire. The flavour it imparts is amazing. Saffron is what gives this dish it’s flavour but if you’ve never cooked with it, it has quite an exotic smell also. The rice was cooked to perfection with a slight crunch at the bottom of the pan. That’s the great thing about cooking over fire, getting that perfect and even heat is next to impossible so there was a lot of shuffling around making sure nothing burned. Instead of just another dinner, it was an experience.  Check out our Pinterest for the recipe I used.

 

Part deux… we head to Manitoulin Island