Millivers Travels » Twenty Valley

Bonnybank B&B, Twenty Valley, Ontario

Milli Thornton — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:40:24 +0000

Bonnybank Bed & Breakfast

BONNYBANK BED & BREAKFAST is a gem set in the vineyards of the Twenty Valley, about twenty minutes from Niagara Falls on the Canadian side.

Owner Carla Carlson has lovingly preserved the history of this venerable old house, both in the house itself and by gathering written records that she makes available to guests in the cozy sunroom/reading area.

Where to start when trying to relate the delights of Bonnybank? With Carla herself.

Friendly and helpful, she will take precious time out of her busy day to educate her guests on the history of the Niagara Escarpment, plus provide tips on local activities and good places to eat. An environmentalist by word and action, Carla cares deeply about her surroundings, both inside and out.

Owner Carla Carlson with her dog Cedar

There’s a whimsical side to her deep feelings for Mother Earth and the heritage she’s preserving at Bonnybank. Keep your eyes open for magical discoveries throughout the house. I was continually enchanted to find fairies and all manner of critters nestled on shelves, tables and ledges.

Her collection of miniature elephants sits near the stereo that plays world music during breakfast. Frogs are one of her favorites. We brought her a tiny pewter turtle from a garden shop in Jordan Village as our thank you for her house of delights.

Situated next door to an owl sanctuary, Bonnybank is surrounded by lush gardens and a colorful variety of flowers. The Carolinian woodlands across the way echoes with the bellow of bullfrogs every summer evening.

Twenty Mile Creek

The photo shows the peace and solitude of nearby Twenty Mile Creek, which is spanned by an historic railroad bridge.

Although situated amid woods and vineyards, Bonnybank is a mere two-minute drive through a winding valley to Jordan Village. Here you’ll find quaint-looking shops full of modern treasures, a yummy ice cream and chocolate shop and some wonderful restaurants.

Restaurants and tea houses in the Twenty Valley deserve their own article space. One of the special moments of our trip was when we returned from a gourmet meal at About Thyme Bistro to the comfort and romance of a camp fire lit for us by Carla in her front yard.

At least some “getaways” should involve getting away from the hurly-burly of town or city living. Bonnybank B&B is a comfortable, cozy and homey way to fulfill that basic human need.

Poppies at Bonnybank

For more information, visit Bonnybank online at the link below. Although you won’t find extensive details online, once you get in touch with Carla she’ll send you plenty of goodies by e-mail, including detailed directions.

But talk to her by phone first. Carla Carlson’s forte is to do things the old-fashioned way and to care for her guests personally—even before you arrive.

Bonnybank Bed & Breakfast, Twenty Valley, Ontario, Canada

Locate Twenty Valley on the map

All photos on this page Copyright © 2009 Milli Thornton & Brian Williams, except for the photo of Carla & Cedar which is courtesy of Carla Carlson

About Thyme Bistro, Vineland, Ontario

Milli Thornton — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:26:08 +0000

Milli Thornton at About Thyme Bistro

VINELAND IS TRUE to name: the countryside’s covered in vineyards and wineries. What else could you possibly order with your gourmet dinner at About Thyme Bistro but a bottle of wine from a local winery?

And gourmet it was.

At first I was disappointed that the tables were so tiny and the room seemed narrow. But the atmosphere of bonhomie and the taste sensations soon made it feel appropriate.

Our dining companions at the next table were a jolly couple. I could see they were getting to the same point we were, where all you can do is burst out with public proclamations about the food. So we did! And then we tried to cover as many topics as possible before they had to leave.

Brian chose fish from the specials menu and I had duck breast with brandy and red peppercorn jus. But the true highlight of the evening was the heavenly appetizer.

The pan-seared foie gras with honey spiced cake was $15 for a few precious morsels, but to the tongue it was worth every cent.

Actually, it only felt like “morsels” because we were sharing it. The serving size was elegant—I’ve never agreed with Super-Size-Me portions for appetizers—it’s just that I didn’t want it to be over so soon!

Definitely one of the most splendiferous dishes I’ve ever tasted.

The 2007 Old Vines Foch from Malivoire Wine Company cast an extra rosy glow over the evening. (See Related Posts for an article about our visit to Malivoire.)

Brian had fish, I had lamb

Perhaps everything also tasted better because we were in a foreign country. For a while after we crossed over into Canada, everything looked almost identical to back home: strip malls with most of the same familiar chains and fast-food joints you’d see in any American city. But once we reached the Twenty Valley (see links below for map) all that changed. Now we were in the land of quaint villages, teahouses and lush Canadian landscape. Not to mention gracious living.

In 2008 About Thyme Bistro was awarded the “Gold VQA Restaurant Award of Excellence.” This little bistro in the heart of West Niagara wine country certainly deserves its award for excellence.

About Thyme Bistro, Vineland, Ontario, Canada

The Twenty Valley is a short, pleasant drive into Ontario, just beyond Niagara Falls on the Canadian side.

Malivoire Wine Company, Twenty Valley, Ontario

Milli Thornton — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:11:42 +0000

OUR DINNER AT About Thyme Bistro, Vineland, Ontario would not have been as sublime as it was without the bottle of award-winning 2007 Old Vines Foch, a superb red. This came from Malivoire, a winery just down the road apiece from the restaurant.

I can’t claim to be a wine connoisseur. All I know is that I was in the presence of a great bottle of wine.

Malivoire Old Vines Foch at About Thyme Bistro
Our wine was decanted for us as part of the gracious table service. Decanting is a simple process whereby the wine is poured into a separate glass container in order to let it breathe.

Being impressed with our first taste of Malivoire, we decided to seek them out. There are so many wineries in the Twenty Valley— when it comes to choosing one to visit (especially when you only have a weekend) it can be overwhelming. The personal recommendation from our own taste buds was just what we needed to help us narrow down the choices.

Malivoire Wine Company offers an inviting, vine-covered entrance (flowered vines, this time) with a stylish tasting room. The friendly gentleman who helped us choose our wines was possibly the owner: not only was he knowledgeable, it became obvious that he’s intimately involved with the vineyards.

I’ve been to wine tastings before—of the gourmet cheese and water cracker type where everybody mingles and tries a lot of wine (but you don’t learn much of anything new). It was fascinating to go through the proper procedure with somebody who knows his stuff.

Naturally, we were hoping to stock up on Old Vines Foch, but it was sold out. Not surprising! However, we were very happy to take home a few bottles of 2007 Gamay plus a bottle of Icewine Cabernet Franc.

Malivoire received a gold medal at the 2009 Ontario Wine Awards for their 2007 Gamay:

“Deep ruby colour; an intense nose of fresh, ripe bramble fruits followed by cooked plum, sour cherry, vanilla, cinnamon and cigar box. Vibrant red berry upfront on the palate followed by dark cherry, this wine has a plush body with soft tannins and lively acidity.”

Now, if only I’d get busy in the kitchen and cook something worthy of one of those bottles of Gamay!

Malivoire Wine Company, Beamsville, Twenty Valley, Ontario, Canada

The Twenty Valley is a short, pleasant drive into Ontario, just beyond Niagara Falls on the Canadian side.

Locate Twenty Valley on the map

All photos on this page Copyright © 2009 Milli Thornton & Brian Williams

Tea at the Beam House, Beamsville, Ontario

Milli Thornton — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:25:32 +0000

THERE ARE OODLES of tea houses in Ontario; you could easily plan a whole vacation around them.

We were vacationing in the Twenty Valley during Memorial Day weekend for other reasons: the wine from local vineyards, gourmet food, the selection of elegant to rustic B&Bs and the Valley’s close proximity to Niagara Falls.

It was only when we were driving through Beamsville that I realized I was also there for the tea and scones.

Having lived in Australia for 25 years I know the joys of a good cup of tea (that’s “cuppa” in the native lingo). If all you’ve ever had is Lipton’s, or if you’re addicted to iced tea with tons of sugar, you would have to try a good quality cup of steaming hot tea (made with tea leaves, not a tea bag) and served in a delicate tea cup and saucer to really understand the comforts of this classic beverage.

Back to Tea at the Beam House.

Taken with the cell phone camera, but I think my bliss comes through
We were driving towards Grimsby to visit the lakeshore when I spotted the sign. It was lunch time and I was hoping they would have something like cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off so my husband would feel nourished as well.

(Actually Brian would never order something “foo foo” like that, but they did have delicious sandwiches.)

Far more important for me was the tea ritual. We were asked to visit the tea selection to choose from the many gourmet flavors and also to select our own tea cup and saucer.

I chose a dainty, flowery one for myself and a more manly one with a Canadian insignia for my husband. When tea was served we were each given our own teapot and personal strainer for the tea leaves.

The scones were the other thing that put me into foodie heaven.

American scones (rhymes with ‘phones’)—and I apologize to whomever I’m about to offend—are rough triangular lumps of dense stuff that, to me, taste like baking soda. An Australian scone (rhymes with ‘gone’) looks similar to an American biscuit, but smaller, and with a lighter texture.

And definitely not a vehicle for gravy! A self-respecting scone is served with jam and Devonshire cream (a thick, rich, clotted cream produced in Somerset, Cornwall and Devon, England)—or whipped cream, if no Devonshire cream is available—and a freshly brewed cup of tea.

In Australia, this is known as Devonshire tea. In England they call it cream tea.

The staff at Tea at the Beam House understand these things. They understand the finer points of tea as a way of life. Their motto: “Providing the perfect cup of Humanity that enriches all.”

As you would expect, the decor was rosy-feminine and chintzy and it’s definitely the kind of place that women love to flock to. Left to his own devices, I’m sure my husband would rather have eaten lunch at the pub with an ice-cold glass of Guinness, but he seemed to enjoy it quite a bit—even if he didn’t cock his pinky while drinking his tea.

Tea at the Beam House, Beamsville, Ontario

Locate Beamsville on the map

All photos on this page Copyright © 2009 Brian Williams