I think we can all agree that nothing tastes better on a hot summer day than a delicious cold ice cream. Yet, in Halton region, there’s another cool treat that’s tempting residents’ taste buds: gelato! 

Gelato shops are popping up all over Oakville and Burlington. The latest is Il Gelato di Carlotta, that cut the ribbon on its new shop in Downtown Oakville on May 20. “People nowadays travel much more than in the past and have the opportunity to taste gelato in Europe and especially in Italy,” says Lolita Giannelli, retail and sales manager at Il Gelato Di Carlotta.

Isn’t gelato just Italian ice cream? While the literal translation for “ice cream” in Italian is “gelato”, when it comes to frozen treats, the differences between ice cream and gelato are more than just regional. 

There are five main differences between gelato and ice cream.  

A healthier treat 

Gelato contains fewer calories, less sugar and lower fat per serving than ice cream, meaning your waistline might actually thank you for choosing gelato as your frozen treat. As its name implies, ice cream contains more cream than milk. Gelato, on the other hand, is made with a greater proportion of milk to cream. The other main differentiating factor is the fat content. “Compared to traditional American ice-cream, artisan Italian gelato has one-third the fat content and calories, as well as 70 per cent less air,” says Giannelli. 

Smooth texture

Gelato has a smooth and silky texture. This is due to less air added to the dessert during production. “Gelato is traditionally churned at a slower rate than ice cream, giving it a denser consistency,” says Chris Iannuzzi, owner/operator at La Dolce Vita, another popular gelato shop in Kerr Village in Oakville.

Hold the cold

While ice cream is served at -20 C, Italian gelato is served at a higher temperature, around -13 C. The warmer texture enhances the flavours as they melt in your mouth.

Freshly made

Perhaps the biggest difference you can taste in gelato is the freshness. “Ice cream is made with ingredients designed for lengthy storage. Artisanal Italian gelato, on the other hand, is produced fresh daily,” says Giannelli. At Gelateria Morgana in Downtown Oakville, they source the highest quality ingredients locally and from around the world. “Our pistachio comes from Piamonte in Italy, the hazelnuts also come from Italy, and our limes and tamarind come from Mexico,” explains Oscar ArgÜelles, one of the owners.  

Robust flavours

Gelato’s production methods allow for a wider variety of flavours than traditional ice cream. La Dolce Vita has over 100 unique flavours such as maple cookies and cream, fire roasted marshmallow, Sicilian pistachio and ever sour lemon. “We can create pretty much any flavour with natural ingredients,” says Iannuzzi. La Dolce Vita’s most popular local flavour is strawberry rhubarb crumble gelato created with Niagara strawberries and rhubarb from Dundas. At Gelateria Morgana, Maestra Gelatera Kiren Miret has perfected the ever-popular classics as well as created innovative new flavours to delight her customers first in her original location of Mexico City, and now in Oakville.

If you want to experience a taste of Italy right here in Halton Region, check out any of the gelato shops below:

Oakville 

Il Gelato di Carlotta
312 Lakeshore Road East

Gelateria Morgana
92 Thomas Street

La Dolce Vita
22 Lakeshore Road West

Nyla’s Room
109 Thomas Street

Marylebone Cafe and Creamery
216 Oak Park Boulevard

The Flavour Fox
2464 Lakeshore Road West, Unit 5

Burlington

Centro Noca
590 Brant Street

I Love Gelato
1477 Lakeshore Road, Unit 8

Alia’s Gelato Café
1455 Lakeshore Road

Lola Choco Bar & Sweet House
423 Elizabeth Street 

Crema de Gelato
415 Locust Street

Hamilton

Amo Gelato
171 Locke Street South

By Lisa Evans

The hot and hazy days of backyard barbecues, celebrations, and lazy summer weekends are upon us. But before you dip your feet in the kiddie pool, don’t forget to stock the bar! 

Sarah Burns, owner of Trail Mix Mobile Bar recommends stocking your bar with a few staple beverages that can be used to make a variety of summer mixed drinks your guests will love.

“There are a number of basics we always recommend be stocked in a bar for any summer event,” says Burns. Vodka, Rum, Gin, Triple Sec and Prosecco are some of her must-have basics. Add a couple of simple syrups, fruit juices, ginger ale, aperol and soda water and some fresh fruits such as peaches, strawberries, raspberries, lemons and limes. “Stocking these staples will allow you to make a wide variety of refreshing summer cocktails,” says Burns. 

We asked Burns to share her favourite go-to Summer Cocktails and Mocktails using these ingredients. If you’re planning a party this summer, you’re going to want to add these to your menu! 

Margarita

This classic Mexican cocktail is made with tequila, lime juice and triple sec and can be customized by adding different fruit flavours and garnishes.

Mojito

This light and refreshing drink, popular in Cuba and the Caribbean, is
 made with white rum, lime juice, fresh mint and club soda. It can also be made without the rum for a delicious mocktail as well by adding simple syrup.

Aperol Spritz

This popular Italian cocktail is made with Aperol, Prosecco and soda water. 

Sangria

Always a crowd favourite, Sangria is made in advance making it an easy
drink to serve. Simply mix red or white wine with chipped fruits and brandy or orange juice and chill in the refrigerator overnight. You can add soda water if you prefer a less alcoholic mix.

Shirley Temple

A classic mocktail, the Shirley Temple is made with orange juice, ginger ale and grenadine topped with a fun cherry garnish. 

Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade

Up your lemonade game with fresh raspberries, lemon juice and sparkling water served over ice with a lemon wedge garnish. This isn’t your typical “lemonade stand” lemonade. 

Time to Party! 

If you want to spend your party relaxing with your guests rather than tending the bar, check out these mobile bar rental options. 

Take Note: When renting a mobile bar service, you are responsible for stocking your own beverages (alcohol, mixers and garnishes) and must obtain a Special Occasion Permit through the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (www.agco.ca) to serve alcohol at your event.

Bar Shopping in Halton

Nicetys Kitchen Supply Store, Oakville   

shop.nicetys.com

From tableware to dishes, candles, table linens, cookware, bakeware and kitchen electrics, this Oakville kitchenware store has all your entertaining needs covered. For your summer cocktail wish list, they carry cocktail glasses including some ideal for serving on the patio, and a full range of bar accessories. 

by Lisa Evans

Montreal vs. New York. Two cities, two styles, one fundamental question: who makes the best bagel? For over a century, our neighbours in the south have claimed ownership of the perfect bagel. But like any good Canadian face-off, we politely disagree – with its distinct sweet tang and unique texture, the homegrown Montreal bagel reigns. 

To be fair, this isn’t really an apples-to-apples (or bagel-to-bagel) competition. Montreal and New York-style bagels are vastly different. Can one truly be better than the other? That’s for you to decide. 

What’s the difference between New York and Montreal bagels?

More than just the name of their respective cities makes these bagels different. New York and Montreal bagels differ in shape, taste, and cooking method.

Kettle-boiled and baked in a traditional oven, New York bagels have a soft, doughy  texture. They’re often thicker than a Montreal bagel with a broader ring and smaller hole.

Montreal bagels, by contrast, are typically smaller and thinner, featuring a larger hole at the centre. Each bagel boils in honey and water – creating its distinctive sweet flavour – before entering the wood-fired oven. The result is a dense golden crunchy crust exterior and a chewy centre. 

Where do bagels come from? 

While New Yorkers claim the bagel originated on the Lower East Side in Manhattan, bagels trace back to a Jewish tradition in Poland. European immigrants brought the concept of a ring of bread to New York around the 1800s. 

The first bagels appeared in Montreal in the early 1900s. New immigrants from Poland and other Eastern European countries brought the bagel to the multicultural city. Credited as being the father of the Montreal bagel, Chaim (Hyman) Seligman sold bagels off a carriage before establishing his bakery on Saint-Laurent Boulevard in 1900.

How to eat ‘em

Regardless of the city, bagels were traditionally eaten on their own. But today, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a breakfast bagel without a spread. Modern-day bagel shops offer a wide variety of cream cheese flavours to burst your taste buds. They also make the perfect “any time” sandwich with some meat, cheese, or an egg.  

OKO Bagels

499 Cornwall Road, Oakville
OKObagels.com

This artisanal bagel shop in South East Oakville handcrafts Montreal-style bagels (and bakes them in a wood-fired oven on-site). OKO delivers a diverse menu of bagel flavours, including cinnamon raisin, rosemary sea salt, and cinnamon sugar. Bagel toppings include a variety of flavoured cream cheeses and a menu of hearty bagel sandwiches. Try the Caprese bagel made with mozzarella, turkey, tomato, basil, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. You’ll never look at a bagel the same again. 

JC’s Hot Bagels Cafe

3011 New Street, Burlington
JCshotbagels.com

This bagel cafe has been Burlington’s favourite breakfast and lunch spot since 1995. Owners Jack and Joseph Champi came to Canada from Lebanon, fleeing the country’s civil war. In their hands was their family’s bagel recipe, handed down by generations. The brothers decided to start a business using that famous recipe, and JC’s was born. JC’s offers a variety of bagel flavours, including cheddar herb, garlic, sourdough, and a wide variety of breakfast and lunch bagels. Be sure to try one of their homemade cream cheese spreads (the pineapple walnut is our fave). 

Bagel Barn

4490 Fairview Street, Burlington
Bagelbarn.ca

Hand-rolled on-site daily, these New York Style bagels are fresh and full of flavour! Every bagel is made from scratch, with all-natural, quality ingredients. Specializing in premium sandwiches with meat, cheese, fresh veg, or eggs, they’re a great spot to pick up breakfast or lunch. Homemade spreads are also available.  

by Nicole Lischer

Each February or March, with lined boots and knit mittens, Canadians head to the sugar bush in search of something sweet. Sure, the photo ops are great – but at the heart of these experiences, there’s a harvesting history with Indigenous roots.

The story has it that Chief Woksis of the Iroquois found “the sweet” (syrup) when he threw his tomahawk at a maple tree in the cold of winter. The next day, the sun warmed the sap inside the tree, and syrup sprung from the hole. European settlers began to adopt the practice from Indigenous communities in 1557 and were shown how to harvest the sap, boil it, and turn it into syrup. This sweet staple was the initial form of sugar in North America until sugar cane became available in 1875.

Since then, maple syrup has become a beloved staple on Canadian breakfast tables. It’s also become a significant Canadian export, with 60 million kilograms exported to 50  countries in 2020 (valued at $515 million). Ounce for ounce, maple syrup is worth more than oil in Canada, with Canada supporting 75% of the world’s demand.

As with any product of value, there runs a risk. In 2012, a suspected insider stole 9,571 barrels of maple syrup valued at $18.7 million from the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (FPAQ). “The Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist,” as it’s become known, made global headlines, even making it to Netflix in the documentary Dirty Money.

The incident shed light on the value and importance of maple syrup in Canadian culture and our economy. It’s a reminder that even the most unexpected things can hold value.

At this time of year as the winter thaw begins, across many regions, you’ll discover maple syrup festivals of activities and educational opportunities for the whole family. And with additional knowledge of its history and value to our economy, we’re sure you’ll find the experience even more special.

Bronte Creek Provincial Park

1219 Burloak Drive, Oakville
Ontarioparks.com/park/brontecreek

Fresh Ontario maple syrup begins flowing at Bronte Creek Provincial Park on the first Saturday in March when the park’s annual Maple Syrup Festival gets underway. Enjoy a guided tour of Maple Lane, where 1890s costumed interpreters demonstrate how to tap maple trees and make maple syrup and maple sugar. View artifacts in the maple museum or tour the 100-year-old Spruce Lane Farmhouse. Be sure to browse through the maple products and souvenirs available in the Maple Gift Shoppe and pick up a bottle of syrup to take home. Hop on a wagon that will take you to a heated pancake house where you can enjoy fresh, hot pancakes with pure maple syrup and sausages, served up throughout the festival hours.

Another great local option is Maple Town at Mountsberg, hosted by Conservation Halton.

Maple Town Mountsberg

2259 Milborough Town Line, Campbellville
conservationhalton.ca

This is the sweetest time of year at Conservation Halton! The Mountsberg sugarbush has been producing maple magic for over 150 years and educating the public for over 40 years. Your 2-hour reservation includes access to Maple Town, gift shops, Pancake House, Farm Animal Barn, Raptor Centre Wildlife Walkway, Natural Playground, and park trails. An optional Guided Tour featuring tree tapping and syrup samples may be added (additional per person fee applies).

Just north of Halton Hills, in the Town of Erin, you’ll find Elliot Tree Farm and their annual Maple Syrup Experience. It’s also worth a visit!

Weekend Maple Syrup Experience Elliot Tree Farm

9467 East Garafraxa Erin Townline, Hillsburgh
elliottreefarm.ca

Beginning on Family Day and running through to April 9th, you can immerse yourself in the maple syrup experience at Elliot Tree farm. Enjoy an all-you-can eat pancake breakfast or brunch followed by a maple treat sampling in their tree cellar. Follow up with a walk through the sugar bush, where you can try sap and explore buckets. Tickets are available through their website.

The next time you pour maple syrup over your breakfast, take a moment to appreciate the rich and unique history behind Canada’s liquid gold!

by Nicole Lischer

If you’ve been looking for that “secret ingredient” in a recipe handed down by previous generations – try cinnamon. It’s the one spice you’re likely to find in everyone’s pantry and a key ingredient used in dishes worldwide. From desserts to savoury dishes (even ones with meat), it’s hard to find another spice with this type of versatility… and one with such a unique history.

Once considered more valuable than gold, cinnamon was a highly valued spice in ancient trade. Ancient Egyptians were the first to use cinnamon in cooking but also viewed it as a prestigious gift for pharaohs and used the spice during embalming rituals.

Sourced from the Cinnamomum tree (a variety of evergreen), native to Sri Lanka and south India, cinnamon is most often used these days in cooking and baking. The world’s insatiable demand for cinnamon has resulted in different varieties of the spice being grown in countries including Myanmar, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, and some countries in the West Indies and South America. Workers score and peel the outer bark of the trees with a few simple tools during harvest. Large pieces of bark are peeled, dried, and ground into powder, while smaller twigs and shoots dry into familiar curled sticks.

There’s no doubt this spice packs a powerful punch. Sprinkling it in desserts, seasonal drinks, and even main dishes, our culinary community uses it well. We’ve rolled our way through Oakville and Burlington to discover some of the best cinnamon-inspired dishes – check them out:

Cinnaholic

259 Lakeshore Road East, Oakville
cinnaholic.com

All hail the cinnamon roll. With over 20 flavours of frosting and a variety of toppings, Cinnaholic delivers the optimal cinnamon experience. Design your own roll, or choose from Cinnaholic’s suggested combinations – like the S’mores Cookie Roll, with gooey chocolate chip cookie rolled in graham cracker crumbs and topped with marshmallow, or the Candied Almond Roll, topped with marshmallows, pretzels, and homemade candied almonds.

Cobbs Bakery

Multiple Locations In Burlington And Oakville
cobbsbread.com

Cinnamon is the star in two of Cobbs’ best-selling baked goods. Their Cinnamon Scone is filled with generous cinnamon flakes and topped with cinnamon sugar; warmed up, it’s a great treat with your morning coffee. And their Classic Cinnamon Bun is a must-have with your Sunday breakfast. Unwind the spirals of sticky dough to reveal an ooey gooey cinnamon sugar-glazed centre!

Kelly’s Bake Shoppe

401 Brant Street, Burlington
kellysxo.com

Plant-based and dusted with cinnamon, Kelly’s Bake Shoppe makes a must-try old-fashioned snickerdoodle cookie. Their Morning Glory Muffin with sweet potato, carrots, cranberries, and a cinnamon cream cheese filling also makes a great morning treat.

Pur & Simple

1940 Appleby Line Unit 22, Burlington & 350 Dundas Street East, Oakville
pursimple.com

Another cinnamon twist on a breakfast classic! Pur & Simple’s Carole’s Cinna- Cakes are cinnamon swirl pancakes topped with icing glaze, caramel, and whipped cream. Pair with a mimosa or freshly brewed coffee for breakfast or brunch.

Coop Wicked Chicken

370 Brant Street, Burlington
thecoopwickedchicken.com

While famous for its fried chicken, The Coop has cinnamon all figured out – and their Cinnamon funnel cake isn’t exactly what it seems. Consisting of fries topped with cinnamon sugar and accompanied by vanilla ice cream, have it for lunch or dessert – all of the components are there.

Oko Bagels

499 Cornwall Road, Oakville
okobagels.com

Oakville’s hot spot for Montreal-style wood-fired bagels handcrafts a perfect cinnamon sugar bagel. Pair with a wide selection of flavoured cream cheese (Canadian Maple makes a good match) or other toppings like Nutella or peanut butter.

Duck Donuts

5010 Pinedale Avenue Unit 1001a, Burlington
duckdonuts.com

Cinnamon bun or donut? You don’t have to choose! Burlington’s newest donut establishment, Duck Donuts, serves a Cinnamon Bun Donut made with cinnamon sugar and vanilla icing. The best part: it’s made fresh on-site, just for you. 

Cinnamon… it really is everywhere. Inspired by her Nonna, our editor mixes a little into her ricotta cheese when she makes lasagna or ravioli. It’s a basic ingredient in a traditional Greek moussaka. And for me, I sprinkle a light dusting on top of my coffee grounds. My guests always ask, “What do you put in your coffee?”.

My secret ingredient? Cinnamon. How do you use cinnamon? Why not share your recipes with us on Instagram @looklocal.ca ?

by Lisa Evans