Savouring Stratford

Stratford is like that girl in high school -- the one that was pretty, smart, athletic, and everything else endearing.

Every time I go there, I start thinking it's time to pick up and move. There's the obvious thriving theatre and arts scene, but there's also gorgeous scenery, quaint neighbourhoods, and, thanks in part to the chef school, fantastic restaurants and great places to get good food.

Already a hotspot with theatre-goers, Stratford is trying to play up its reputation as a go-to spot for foodies. New projects this summer offer proof -- the town has published a culinary guide for visitors and developed a program that helps discerning eaters identify which restaurants use food from local producers.

They've also created an "Epicurean Trek" through Perth County, one that's well worth taking. About 20 spots are featured on the map, which is featured in the culinary guide (or can be downloaded at www.wecometostratford.com). Makes for a great little daytrip for those of us opting for "staycations" this summer.

You'd never make it to all 20 spots in a day, but you can tailor make your own trek according to whether you feel like doing it by car or by foot or if you'd rather focus on farms or on shops. The best part: each stop guarantees samples.

I recently hit Stratford myself and did a mini-trek, merely scratching the surface. A few highlights:

- Kitchen Connaisseur, right on the Ontario Street strip, a neat little specialty shop that sells their own line of sauces, oils, vinegars, condiments and so on. Loads of tasters are available, which allowed me to discover something to-die-for called Maple Cappuccino sauce. The best part is, once you've tried a sauce, fawned over it, and bought a jar to take home, you can hit up the shop's website for ecipes for what to do with it. (My Maple Cappuccino, for example, could be slathered on cedar planked salmon or used to make creme brulee).

- Soiled Reputation, an organic farm just outside of Stratford proper, manned by Antony John, formerly of Food TV's The Manic Organic and a favourite supplier of chefs from Toronto (like Jamie Kennedy) and elsewhere. John is an engaging, knowledgeable guy and more than willing to chat about ecologically sound growing, birds, and most anything else food-related. Some of his vegetables can be bought on site, including his salad greens -- a work of art, containing everything from a variety of lettuces to a mish-mash of herbs and edible weeds.

- Rheo Thomson Candies and Chocolate Barr's Candies, both downtown and both worth visiting if you have any semblance of a sweet tooth. The latter has been in town for nearly 40 years and all their candies and chocolates (including the famous Mint Smoothie) are made on site. Ditto for Chocolate Barr's, owned by Derek Barr and his wife Jacqueline. Barr got his start at Rheo Thomson's and then branched out on his own. Don't leave without getting yourself a salted caramel or a chili pepper truffle.

- Tea Leaves Tasting Bar, which is run by a most lovely, most knowledgeable woman named Karen Hartwick, who is a "tea sommelier," and one of only a couple of people in Canada with her particular credentials. You can just sample and shop, or you can book a group tasting or seminar ahead of time (a tea and chocolate tasting, for example, or a make-your-own herbal session). Hartwick also runs a B&B should you feel like making a weekend out of it.

There's no shortage of places to lunch, whether you pick up the fixings for a picnic at your various stops or decide to sit on a patio someplace. I dined at County Food Co., which opened last summer and sources most of its food from Perth County. Choosing something from their salad bar was not easy; I opted for a roasted beet salad, another one with the very first of the summer's tomatoes and a third that consisted merely of freshly picked carrots tossed in a honey-dijon glaze with fresh thyme. Blessed summertime.

If you do head out trekking, be sure to check the guide as many spots only welcome visitors during specified times. (Farmers, for example, do have other jobs to get to). Happy staycationing!