Welcome to
Cork & Board
the culinary chronicles of a sommelier and chef
We love to cook. We love food. We cook for ourselves, we cook for our families, we cook for our friends. In our experience, the breaking of bread and sharing of a meal with the people you care about can only be enhanced by the perfect beverage. We pair to create a peak experience. Food and beverages go hand-in-hand, each bringing greater enjoyment to one another. Drink is inseparable from food. Drink is the final garnish to a dish.
We want to share this with you. This blog came to be out of a purely selfish need to live creatively. Life is busy and fleeting. Each and every post is an expression of a moment in time, slowed down, to savour each bite and appreciate each bottle.
Guava Aperol Spritz
Last year may have been all about the Frosé but the summer drink of 2017 is the Aperol Spritz. Our version has an added splash of tropical, fragrant, sweet guava juice – the Guava Aperol Spritz!
Rosé + Pickled Rhubarb BLT
Pink is the new black! We’re seeing the world through rosé coloured glasses with this pairing.
Rosewater Pistachio Baklava
Our rosewater pistachio baklava makes a sweet treat for Mother’s Day! Skip the bouquet of roses and that bottle of perfume and make mom this special treat.
Seeds and Shoots Risotto + New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
A fresh start!
Spring’s first seeds and shoots are a harbinger of outdoor markets bursting with young, green crunchy things….what better to serve with these fresh green flavours, Sauvignon Blanc of course!
Thai Pomelo Salad + Nova 7
Spring is in the air!
Fragrant blossoms and aromas of all things green are filling the air and our Thai Pomelo salad is a welcome olfactory assault after the muted scents of a cold, crisp winter. By the end of winter, we find ourselves craving explosive Asian flavours that grab you by the tongue.
Amore-Amaro
What the heck is Amaro? Once the drink of Italian grandfathers, Amaro is the new ‘it’ ingredient of choice for a younger, cocktail-crazed generation. Amaro is having a bit of a moment.
Blood Orange Grapefruit Faux-Loma
Let us introduce you to our Blood Orange & Grapefruit Faux-loma. A rif on the tequila based Paloma.
Crémant de Bourgogne + Stuffed Dates
Is there a better sound? Inherently sexy, yet steeped in tradition. Even the process of opening the bottle is a ritual best savoured. So, what to eat in such bubbly, vivacious company? Grab a bottle of Crémant and pop some corks!
Gingerbread Bourbon Not-Nog
Eggnog goes hand-in-hand with the holidays. Arguably the most traditional festive sipper. We’ve lost our noggin’s on the stuff.
Piedmont + Hazelnuts
We’re nuts for hazelnuts! Why are we craving the food and wine of Piedmont? This is the place for white truffles, mushrooms, chestnuts, hazelnuts, beef and lamb, big bold wines, and recipes steeped in tradition.
Hard Cider + Cider Braised Pork Shoulder
Local organic pork shoulder, some sweet local cider to braise it in, and rosy Honey Crisp apples, parsnips and sunchokes to roast alongside. Add some buttery spaetzle and uncork a few bottles of hard cider; scrumpiest Sunday night dinner ever!
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine + Oysters
Oysters and Muscadet are an inseparable duo. Wonder why they make such a great couple? It’s kind of like the classic tale of the girl next door….what grows together goes together.
Beer + Sausage
The hot, hazy, lazy dog days of summer are here. Even food and beverage lovers need a break. Enter beer + sausage!
Maple Ginger Whisky Smash + Butter Tart Squares
Short and sweet! The short is our quintessential Canadian cocktail featuring Canadian rye whisky, maple syrup and a sweet spicy peppery kick from fresh ginger. The sweet is a gooey, buttery, rich, boozy and oozy from the bbq butter tart square….
Barbera + Pizza
So what do you when someone who is so effortlessly Italian gives you a gift of handmade salami? You make pizza of course! Charred, greasy, blistered, cheesy, smoky, it`s burning my mouth but I can`t help myself… great pizza is a slice of happiness!
Rose Gin Rhubarb Cocktail + Melon Prosciutto Salad
Hot weather is here, its time to break out the gin! Gin tastes like budding leaves, sun filled days and blue skies. Of course there is nothing wrong with the clean, crisp, fresh flavours of a classic gin and tonic. Our sophisticated spin is brimming with spring flavours, the stage shared between rhubarb and a gin flavoured with…
Xinomav-what? Xinomavro + Skewered Lamb
It’s all Greek to me!
Everything old becomes new again. Xinomavro, a long forgotten Greek red wine is having a moment. We are reminded of the old adage ‘if it grows together it goes together’ and found ourselves super curious to see if a lamb & Xinomavro pairing would be worthy of the village matchmaker.
Hello Spring! Grüner + Fritto
If you want your friends to be green with envy choose Grüner for your next spring time get together.
Hello World!
Spring is in the air. The landscape is awakening and so are our tastebuds.
Spring is season for rebirth, renewal and regrowth.
The season of asparagus, sweet peas, fiddleheads and ramps is upon us and what are we going to do about it?
After a winter of hibernating we are ready to blossom.
Welcome to CORK + BOARD.
SOMM
Christie Pollard
Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers
After 10 years as a restaurateur, culinary instructor and caterer, a trip to France sparked an untapped enthusiasm for all things wine. I gave up the restaurant life, made a huge u-turn and dove head first into the vast world of wine. I have never looked back and achieved my Sommelier certification with the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers in 2015. I love sharing my pursuit of the perfect pairing in a fun, unfussy and ultimately delicious way with my friends, family and those I teach.
CHEF
Josie Pontarelli
Red Seal Chef, Culinary Instructor
I graduated from the Stratford Chefs School in 1999 and achieved Red Seal Certification shortly thereafter. With this strong foundation laid, an opportunity to spend time in California presented itself. While there, I was intoxicated by the seasonality and quality of the ingredients everywhere I looked. This experience proved to be a turning point for me in how I thought about food. It inspired me to have a deep and enduring respect for the people, food and culture that go into the perfect dish.