Food,
Wine, Friends and Fun!
By Cindy Duffy
Spring has arrived and there is no
better way to celebrate than an evening out with good friends, great food and
wine. For a Taste of the Valley: Food
and Wine Gala, is a chance to do just
that and more. You’ll not only get your
choice of fine food from many of the areas best restaurants and caterers, but
you’ll be supporting a good cause at the same time, as the gala is a fundraiser
for the Lanark County Therapeutic Riding Program.
“It’s a chance to tune out the tales
of economic woe we’ve been listening to all winter and turn our ears to good
conversation with friends and our taste buds culinary delights,” says Lanark
County Therapeutic Riding Program Coordinator Susan Cressy.
The food at the gala, to be held
Monday, April 27th at Almonte’s Civitan
Hall, promises to be great, with most of the best local restaurants and
caterers participating including: Ballygiblin’s, Slakoni’s, The
Good Food Company of Carleton Place, and
Savoury Pursuits and Foodies
of Almonte to name few.
We know it is a Monday night, not your typical
going out night, but it is a night when the best restaurants and caterers can
make themselves available to be able to treat you with their best chefs and
sumptuous wares.
Some of the restaurants like Slakoni’s Italian Restaurant will be bringing their own
wine expert to suggest the best wines to pair with the great variety of foods
that will be available. And amateur sommeliers like Graham Beck of Little Stream Organic Bakery in Glen Tay will be there to help you chose your wine, or beer for
that matter. And to bring out the most
delicate taste of the wide variety of wines, potter, Jackie Seaton, will let
you try his hand crafted pottery wine cups.
“We really want the gala to be a
celebration of spring. But it’s also an opportunity to promote local businesses
and support the riding program at the same time,” says Cressy.
This is the second annual food and
wine gala organized by the riding program. Last year’s was such a success and
they got so many positive comments both from people who attended and the
businesses that participated that they decided to do it again.
“I think part of the reason it worked
so well last year is that April is that time of year when it is pretty safe to
think that winter is over, and people are in the mood to get out and socialize.
Combine that with wonderful food and it makes a great evening out.”
Between the main courses and dessert
you can also bid in the silent auction. All of the items are donated by local
artists, artisans, businesses, and individuals, with the proceeds going to the
riding program. The auction includes original paintings and photographs, gift
certificates for hotels and B&Bs, pottery from
local potters, and many other items.
“Every year the generosity of local artists and businesses simply
overwhelms us. It’s just great,” says Cressy.
The Lanark County Therapeutic Riding
Program is going into its 23rd season this year. With the help of
about 65 volunteers, the program provides riding as therapy for people with
special needs. The majority of its 135 riders are from
For
a Taste of the Valley runs from