Cold enough for ya? by Kayleigh Malcom

Talking about the weather in Canada is a national past time. If it's not the frigid windchills of the Winter, than it's the humidity of the Summer.

There's jokes about it... We have two seasons here in Southern Ontario....winter and construction.

It can also be the focus of competition across the country. Remember when the Mayor of Toronto called in  the Military to help dig out the city after a snowfall that people in Alberta get on a regular basis.

This year is was cold enough that Niagara Falls froze over! Well froze over as much as it can. When you have one great lake emptying into another great lake there is enough water pressure to ensure that it's not completely solid, the water is still flowing under all that ice. Makes for beautiful pictures when the coloured lights come on at night.

(image via Elvir k / used under Flickr Creative Commons)

I've always maintained the rule that you can only bitch about the cold or the heat. Not both. Personally, I don't say a single negative thing about the heat and humidity. That way I can moan and complain all winter long and winter is soooooo long.

The only redeeming feature of this bone chilling part of the year is the liquid gold we are able to create. Oh, yeah! I'm talking IceWine. :)

Photo from winerack.com

If you've never heard of it before, it's a unique wine created in cold climates. Personally I think the Niagara region is the best. (completely admitting that I might be bias here. lol)

Grapes are allowed to hang on the vine long after traditional harvest times, allowed to freeze, thaw, freeze, thaw, freeze and when the temperature drops to -8 and the grapes have reached the perfect balance of acid and sugar they are harvested. Gathered by hand, at night and then the rock hard little pellets are crushed allowing a thick rich concentrated syrup to escape. A 375ml bottle of icewine requires ten times the amount of grapes required to make a 750ml bottle or regular wine. That means it carries a hefty price tag but a little goes a long way.

Photo from newswire.ca

There are two main varieties that are used to make white. Vidal (my personal favourite) which is vibrant and lively. Riesling which is elegant and subtle. Common flavours you find in ice wine are ripe peaches, apricots, lychee and honeycomb.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are becoming more common and have all the flavours of the whites with an added note of berries and sometimes rhubarb.

Curling up in front of a fire, (or a video of one on the tv) with someone you care about, a bottle of icewine, some chocolate, dried fruit, nuts, and some strong cheese and you have the start to a decadent evening. How decadent depends on you ;)

 But, not even Icewine could redeem the horrendous weather we've been pelted with and when the lock froze on my husband's car for the third time he announced that it was time for a vacation. We're headed to a grown-ups only vacation in Mexico. I can't wait to get a new sugar skull to add to my collection!

If you could go anywhere to escape where would it be? (Dream vacations are limited only by your imagination...don't be trapped by reality) 

Write your dream vacation in the comments below.


When I get home, I'll draw one lucky winner from the comments and send them a surprise I'll bring back from my trip. 

Pursuing Their Fantasies

When Amadora wins a trip to a Mexican resort, she contacts Madame Eve’s 1Night Stand service to live out a one-time fantasy—a night with two hot men.

Undercover DEA agents Jason and Angus have been playing it fast and loose with each other. The sex is good, but Jason blames himself for his wife’s death during a stakeout and refuses to weigh his heart down with any more guilt. Angus hasn’t told Jason how much he cares about him for fear of being pushed away.

Meeting Amy forces them both to reevaluate their relationship and consider more than one night as a threesome. When her life is threatened, can the three of them accept the risk to their hearts and take a chance on the love they all crave?