BKonthescene

By Violeta Voss & Photography By YYZ Photography

Summer is officially here which means its time to mark your calendars and get your tickets to the highly anticipated Spring Into Spice, Canada’s 1st International Food & Wine Festival. Bigger than ever before they are taking over Fort York, Downtown Toronto on May 11th, 2024 from Noon to 10PM.

The Spice Food & Wine series gives everyone a chance to build their own narrative around wine and, more specifically, wine and their national dishes regardless of background and race. “The festival was founded because the face of our community is changing, has changed, and gives cause to celebrate our country’s diversity, including acknowledging our food culture and expanding the purview. “ Explains Beverly Crandon, Founder of Spice Food & Wine Group, CMS-certified sommelier, and wine expert on CTV the Social.

Her vision is clear: wine should be an inclusive realm, approachable and inviting to everyone. “Pairing ethnic food with wine from both the old and new world is another expression of our diversity. It allows us to bring different cultures together with the opportunity for discovery, including understanding the historical significance of food culture in other countries.”

To kick off the celebrations, a captivating and diverse group of industry experts convened at the Historic Somm Factory, situated at 304 Richmond St W in Toronto. Guided by the culinary excellence of Chef Rachel Adjei from The Abibiman Project, and the pairing of Beverly Crandon’s magnificent team, including Design Director Michele Simmonds, and head of marketing Cheryl, guests embarked on an unforgettable sensory journey.

Welcomed with warmth and a glass of the finest Chardonnay from Ivan Vinyards, we settled in for an exquisite multi sensory experience. The afternoon unfolded with a delectable Afro-Caribbean fusion five-course meal, each dish expertly harmonized with Beverly’s meticulously selected wine accompaniments.

Chef Rachel specializes in Regional African Cuisine, with a background from Ghana in West Africa. However, she explores flavors from across the entire African continent, the diaspora, and beyond.
“The idea is to expose people to the diversity that exists in our food, but also the similarities and crossovers stemming from stories like colonialism and trade, and how different ingredients are found in various places. It’s the same idea as in a city like Toronto, where you find that diversity, and stories can be told through the food. This is a great opportunity from Beverly to have me pair it with wine because this whole Spring Into Spice event is about the fact that people don’t usually think about pairing ethnic food with wine.” Says Chef.

Promising to bring the fun and flavor, they did just that with each dish having multiple components.

Starting off with the bright flavors of a Caribbean Corned Charred soup, which included a a Somalian spice blend called Hallash. With notes of fenugreek, clove, as undertones, and brightness of sweet roasted corn based on something from Trinidad where there is a lot of migration of people from South Asia.

As the Chef explained, Somalia has a lot of influence from the spice trade, like the Silk Road going through the Middle East; you find a lot of South Asian flavors in Somali food and in Caribbean food making it the perfect fusion.

Accompanied by a side of chiffonade collard greens mixed with a dish known as negi-negi from Angola. The dressing, comprising molasses, red palm oil, and thyme, is cooked with the stems and sorrel leaves, then finished with a crumble of flax seeds, chia seeds, and pumpkin seeds, ingeniously incorporating all parts of the vegetable to enhance texture and flavor. Paired with L’Ariosa Abruzzo Perorino, a low-yielding grape chosen by Beverly to intensify the flavor profile, with its natural high acidity complementing the dish’s sweetness.

Everything was served family-style to intentionally connect and share with our neighbors, getting to know one another as we say “pass the plate”.

Beverly than transported us back to Ontario, showcasing wines from the esteemed Leaning Post vineyard with a Reisling she artfully paired with Chefs spiced Tiger shrimp, marinated overnight in savory sauces and her take on ground provisions. Chef Rachel eloquently delved into the historical backdrop, highlighting the origins that in the Caribbean, when slaves were brought from Western Central Africa, they were often left with scraps or inexpensive food items predominantly root vegetables such as cassava, sweet potato, and less ripe plantains. However, drawing from her West African heritage, Chef Rachel expressed a preference for ripe plantains. Hence, her dish featured a sumptuous puree crafted from roasted and pureed plantains infused with chili, ginger, and garlic—a traditional Ghanaian delicacy known as Kelewele, characterized by its sweet, spicy, and intensely flavorful profile.

The fried plantain drew inspiration from Masala Mogo, an East African-style fried cassava dish seasoned with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and cumin. Accompanying this were roasted sweet potatoes seasoned with masala spice from Seychelles, offering hints of cinnamon, clove, and cardamom. The concept behind this dish lies in the combination of ground root vegetables with earthy spices to achieve a harmonious balance. Complementing these flavors was a sweet, almost fruity prawn dish made with palm butter. The fruit from the red palm tree was cooked down into a pulp, sautéed with onions, ginger, and garlic, resulting in similar flavor profiles that manifested differently based on their applications. Sweet fresh prawns were then sautéed with a blend of hibiscus and coriander salt, finished with fresh coriander and lemon for a magnificent touch.

For the main course, we delighted in a dish inspired by East African flavors—a Kenyan specialty known as Koko Kunaka. This aromatic curry, enriched with coconut milk, cardamom, and a hint of lime, offered a refreshing twist to its traditional taste. To elevate its acidity, it was expertly paired with passionfruit chutney. Alongside, we savored chapatis infused with hibiscus, lending them a vibrant purple hue and a delightful flavor boost.
Chef Rachel shared that hibiscus, originating from Northeast Africa, has made its mark globally, and has a beautiful way of standing out in any space. Its floral and herbaceous notes gracefully permeated through the flatbread, chutney, and curry, enhancing the overall experience. The velvety tenderness of shank and cheek stewed together provided a decadently rich and satisfying indulgence. Completing the dish was a thoughtfully chosen root pairing of clove and nutmeg, harmonizing flawlessly with a merlot that transported us to the sun-kissed vineyards of the South of France.

Concluding on the same high note with which we commenced, dessert presented a vibrant symphony of color, texture, and flavor. The spotlight fell on charred pineapple, impeccably paired with a special select late harvest Vidal from a female producer at One-Eighty Estate Winery, thoughtfully selected by Beverly. This pairing gracefully transported us back to the heart of Ontario, encapsulating the essence of our culinary journey in the most delightful manner.

Alongside the presence of Nebila, Beverly’s co-founding partner at Vinequity—a non-profit organization committed to elevating the voices of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) wine professionals in Canada—the spotlight shone on diversity within the wine and spirits industry. Vinequity’s initiatives offer scholarships and mentorships to individuals of color across Canada. To discover more about Vinequity and opportunities to get involved, visit: https://www.vinequity.ca/ (https://www.vinequity.ca/)

As we bid farewell with our heart and belly full, guests were given thoughtful gifts courtesy of The Abibiman Project, Boukan Restaurant, and Nourish Happy. 

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to immerse yourself in a full sensory experience, exploring textures and aromas from around the world. Secure your tickets today and join us as we #SpringIntoSpice 2024, celebrating community, diversity and the connections that bring us together. 

We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to embark on this extraordinary journey once again with each of you on May 11th, 2024.
Special Thank you to PR maven, Susan Willemsen from The Siren Group.

FOR TICKETS GO TO: https://www.springintospice.com/

@springintospice
@beverlycrandon
@sommfactory
@theabibimanproject
@raeadjei
@thesirengroup
@boukan.to
@nourish_happy