Eat This! Drink That!

All my guests share one or more attributes; they are fascinating! Eric Boutilier is a subject matter expert on transportation (specifically rail service in Northern Ontario), and with that skill (and frustration) he has once again produced a game. "Tripped" takes you on a journey across North America, and just like the famous "Trouble" there are roadblocks and setbacks that impede your travel. Eric is a new mover to Thunder Bay and this comes up in our conversation also.

This is a short selection from an article I wrote in early summer 2025.Alex Tétreault started putting down written words for as long as he can remember. “It was a bit of an escape for me, and I just found it really fun.” He is Greater Sudbury's 8th Poet Laureate. Writing can be a liberating, but also sequestering process. For Tétreault this tension is very important. “It allows me to be as specific or as vague as I want and it gives me the time to reflect and choose the right words to get my ideas across the way that I want them to.” The play he crafted is in book form too. It is in French.“It was first produced by me and the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario (TNO) in June 2023. Because theatre is ephemeral and I wanted this story to keep being told. I submitted it to Prise de parole for publication and here we are. As a thoughtexercise I did translate it for a performance.”His play (and now book) Nickel City Fifs is setin Sudbury at Zigs Bar... Yes, the iconic Zigs is still open. “I wrote it and direct it, but o

Broadcaster, and wearer of many hats, John Lindsay has been part of Sudbury since the sixties. He has been a school board trustee, served on many committees, and has been an activist on many fronts... including bike infrastructure. He is fun to talk to and engaging as a conversationalist. I recall John's late night radio program as well as TV interviews with artists and musicians. Come along for a look back on John's life and career.

Visiting Taylor Bell at Wildness Ranch Glamping Retreat in Chelmsford, Ontario you begin to realize the alure of being in a tent under a forest canopy. The big open marshland to the south would be a birdwatcher's paradise. Perhaps watch meteor showers or the Northern Lights while sitting by your campfire. Off-grid this is not just a place to unwind and unplug, but to regain some peace.

On the hottest days of the year Lecoupe Ice is busy ensuring you and your beverages keep cool. I spoke with Daniel Mensour about this second and third generation Sudbury family business at their manufacturing centre in Val Caron. Block ice and cube ice for your cooler, Luxury Ice Balls and prisms for specialty drinks, what you find are consumables that improve your quality of life. Come along and listen to Daniel speak about what they have been doing for local and regional markets since 1945 - and learn about the newest products that will be sold world-wide.

Occupying 1/3 of you day, and your life, sleep is an essential part of living. What if your rest and revitalization is affected negatively by physiology, habits, condition within or even beyond your control? Take charge of this essential part of your quality of life by having a conversation with Tierney Gunthorpe. A specialist in Sleep Apnea Tierney and I have a wide ranging romp through everything from pillows to sleep environments.

I think Louis-Philippe Desjardins and I had contact more than a decade ago. He was involved in community based agriculture and CSA boxes was his thing. It still is. With a greenhouse and the addition of milling plus Silo 6 pastas he is one busy farmer-entrepreneur. Come along for the wide ranging conversation on food and food production.

I've heard about Haskap, but really had limited exposure to them. Reading that they are like a blueberry and a raspberry got together and had a baby gave me a deeper understanding of the flavour profile... sort of.The juice is lovely as a way to launch your day, the fruit leather explosive with deep purple notes, and jam that is like nothing the grocery stores sell. Yum!It was a delight to visit with Tara Hamilton at their family farm near St. Charles, Ontario. This program was recorded out in their extensive fields, as well as indoors at their store and production facility. There is the sound of refrigeration in the last 10 minutes. I have filtered out some of the background sounds.

Son and father, Sandro and Roberto Pegoraro are the effort, energy, and enthusiasm behind Pepperaro.Hot Maple Syrup, Hot Honey... there is a whole spectrum of pepper influenced products. They are getting ready for season 2025 with expanded planting, and more of everything.Come along and listen to their story, their aspirations and inspirations.

Karen Newington is an Ontario transplant. She's come from the hospitality program at Guelp and was immersed in the wine world of Niagara. Finding work at a wine bar in Duncan, B.C. she arrived at Unsworth. Yes, Vancouver Island grows grapes and makes exceptional wines.Come along for a tour of the property and a sampling of their white wines.

Now from her permanent studio overlooking the French River Laurie Cochrane puts her mind and spirit into stunning paintings. Come along and listen as she discribes the colours, formats, and content of art that just pleases the soul of those from northern Ontario. Wispy bent white pines may be stereotypic, but they are so comforting... you can almost hear the wind singing in their needles.

He has worked as a line cook, he has done work camps, he has years of experience in food preparation and presentation; meet Sylvain. His passion project is to address food insecurity in the French River area. Listen along and be captivated by his passion.

Hugh Kruzel interviews Kaitlin Fong about her online platform, Dine Find, which helps people with dietary restrictions find suitable restaurants. Kaitlin, who has gluten and dairy allergies, and her co-founder, who is vegetarian and egg-free, are creating an app to address the challenges of dining out with dietary restrictions. Dine Find launches on May 15 with a website, offering features like a directory, blog, and restaurant recommendations. They plan to expand to help all Canadian and will of course target cities like Toronto early. Kaitlin has won pitch competitions, securing additional funding for her venture. The platform aims to promote inclusive dining and support local businesses.

Hugh Kruzel and Daniel Clarke discussed the challenges of elder care, focusing on the differences between long-term care and retirement homes. Daniel highlighted the need for proactive planning, noting that 50,000 people in Ontario are waiting for long-term care beds. He emphasized the importance of tailoring care to individual needs, including cultural and linguistic preferences. Daniel's platform, Elderado, helps families find suitable elder care options by providing detailed information on 1,400 homes in Ontario. They also touched on the emotional and logistical challenges of moving elderly family members, particularly in terms of maintaining community connections and addressing spousal reunification issues.

Come along and meet Shiv. Hardworking this young entrepreneur is carving out a piece of his own following. From 8 am to midnight his family's food truck offers authentic flavours and great value. Following his father's recipes you just know you are in for a taste adventure. Soon as you drive along the Kingsway in Sudbury there will be two unique menus and with warming weather some outdoor seating... Indian Masala is a destination!

Chefs Rob Ruthart and Kris Roszel have teamed up to do a menu that is more than their exceptional soup and bread. Rob does lovely loaves crusted with corn meal, while Kris takes traditional soup recipes and explores how they can be expressed in novel and exciting ways. The choices also include some super tasty melts - like the extra garlicy Vampire Slayer - and an all-day breakfast. Watch chalkboard for daily specials and be delighted.

The ice storm is over, the snow is melting, and the sap is running. This weekend (April 5 and 6) you should visit SucrerieSéguin Sugarbush. There will be taffy, and of course maple syrup for sale. See the landscape and embrace this spring tradition. Bring your rubber boots!

Here's a conversation with Susan Levesque about the future downtown art gallery. Susan is fundraising for this project and speaks about the value of the gallery to residents and visitors, the location, and its 20,000 sq ft, 5 floor presence in Tom Davies Square.

Edmonton was a happening place in the wild west of the 70s and 80s. Masha Krupp showed up on the scene and became the coat check girl at The Point After. This interview takes place at the launch of her book on the stars of hockey and football who showed up at The Point for dinner, drinks and dancing.

Let's talk with Richard Barlow about the Habitat for Humanity's ReStore. Richard is the manager and definitely passionate about what this resale venue offers all kinds of people. As we talk and walk about the store it is apparent this is not someone's junk. There are treasures to be found, and as everything that comes in is a donation, prices are super accessible. Visit and be surprised by the selection.