Summer drinks, sweater weather

Having lived my whole life in this province and having written about wine/drinks for over 20 years, you’d think I’d know better than to base the theme of a column on Manitoba’s expected weather.

The Victoria Day weekend typically sees cottagers open up camp for the year, garage sale season kick off in earnest and farmers markets ramp up in anticipation of summer. And more often than not, the May long weekend ushers in the first warm, sunny days leading into summer.

Well, after an apocalyptic dust storm, this year’s Victoria Day weekend looks to be getting increasingly cooler as the days go by, with rain slated to arrive along with temperatures that will have you reaching for a sweater rather than sunscreen.

Having gone ahead with my plan to taste six wines for a weekend than often brings warmer weather, I take full responsibility for the dismal forecast.

Manitoba politicians spar as new Statistics Canada figures point to inflation jump

WINNIPEG - New numbers from Statistics Canada show Manitoba tied for the highest annual inflation rate among the provinces in April, driven in part by jumps in food prices and property taxes.

Manitoba's inflation rate, compared with April of last year, was 4.3 per cent — tied with Nova Scotia and above the national average of 2.8 per cent.

Property taxes and related charges rose 19 per cent while food costs rose 4.9 per cent — both were steeper increases than in any other province.

The Manitoba government said it is helping the situation through a recent cut to the provincial fuel tax and higher tax credits for renters and homeowners.

What’s the deal with 6% fat milk, newly on the market in Ontario?

Astute dairy shoppers may have noticed a fresh new option in some Ontario grocery stores — with nearly twice as much fat as consumers are used to seeing in whole milk.

Sealtest's new six per cent fat product comes at a time when many people are rethinking long-held dietary practices, with the nutritional benefits of meat and dairy frequently debated.

Followers of U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" agenda have rallied around full-fat milk, with President Donald Trump promising to reintroduce it into the school lunch program.

Health Canada takes a different approach, recommending whole milk — which is at least 3.25 per cent — for babies under 24 months old but otherwise suggesting lower-fat options.

Canadian wineries say scrapping provincial trade barriers would add billions to GDP

HALIFAX - Canada’s wine sector is worth more than $10 billion a year and the industry says a few tweaks — like scrapping domestic trade barriers — could add billions of dollars more to the national economy.

A new report from Deloitte, commissioned by the Wine Growers of Canada, says the key is getting Canadians to buy at least 51 per cent of their wine from homegrown producers over the next 15 years. That would increase the value of the wine sector from the current $10.1 billion to $13.7 billion, including from spinoff industries like shipping and tourism. The sector has plateaued at about 40 per cent domestic market penetration for almost two decades.

“We're not going to be reaching 51 per cent by increasing wine sales across Canada. We're going to be increasing to 51 per cent by displacing imports over time,” Dan Paszkowski, president of the Wine Growers of Canada, said in an interview.

The report says homegrown products make up more than half of sales in each of the leading wine countries in the world, including France where consumers opt for a domestic bottle 83 per cent of the time.

Jell-O is jiggling its way toward more natural ingredients

Jell-O — long known for its bright rainbow of artificially colored gelatins — is getting a line of products made without synthetic colors or artificial sweeteners to meet increasing consumer demand for natural ingredients.

Kraft Heinz Co. on Tuesday unveiled Jell-O Simply, a line of pre-made gelatin that the company said is made with fruit juice and has at least 25% less sugar than the regular version.

The ready-to-eat range now available in stores comes in three flavors -- orange, raspberry lemonade and blueberry. Kathryn O’Brien, Kraft Heinz’s head of marketing for desserts, said the products are colored using vegetable juice, fruit juice and an extract derived from turmeric roots.

Kraft Heinz said it would expand the Jell-O Simply brand in August to include vanilla and chocolate instant pudding and banana and strawberry gelatin mixes, part of the food and beverage company's broader transition to natural ingredients.

Ontario bars, restaurants will be able to sell alcohol until 4 a.m. during World Cup

Licensed Ontario restaurants and bars will be allowed to sell alcohol until 4 a.m. during the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

The province announced the temporary extension Tuesday morning, saying it would help support tourism and local businesses during the international soccer tournament.

Toronto is set to host six games starting June 12, and the province says the extended hours will apply from June 11 to July 19.

Last call for alcohol service is typically 2 a.m., though the Ontario government has made temporary changes in the past for major sporting events such as the recent Olympic gold medal hockey game between Canada and the United States.

Spam fries, ramen doughnuts: Calgary Stampede unveils artery-clogging menu

Candied pickles on a stick. Crispy fried century egg on a bao bun. Pizza dipped in corn dog batter, dusted with Cheetos seasoning and tossed in the deep fryer. Who's hungry?

Québec solidaire weighing priorities, including wealth tax and public grocery stores

MONTREAL - Quebec's leftist sovereigntist party will campaign in part on running public grocery stores and a wealth tax ahead of the general election scheduled for October.

Québec solidaire, which holds 11 of the national assembly's 125 seats, says it wants to restore affordability by bringing down food prices and tackling the housing crisis.

"We saw survey results this week, the majority of Quebec families' main concerns are the cost of rent and groceries," said Québec solidaire's co-spokesperson and legislation leader Ruba Ghazal. "We want to tackle the affordability crisis and give most Quebecers some breathing room."

Some 350 party members are gathered in Montreal this weekend to adopt positions on the cost of living, affordability and wealth redistribution. 

‘A-ha’ hummus moment a sweet life-changer

LA SALLE — May 13 is International Hummus Day, an annual celebration that encourages fans of the creamy, chickpea-based dip to try new flavours or utilize the versatile offering in a non-traditional manner — perhaps on a pizza as a substitute for tomato sauce, or paired with pasta or egg salad.

The food holiday was reportedly created in 2012 by two friends who were miffed to learn there was a 24-hour period on the calendar reserved for Nutella — World Nutella Day falls on Feb. 5 — but not for their preferred spread. (It certainly took long enough; according to a March 2023 article in New Lines Magazine, the earliest-known reference to hummus, which is Arabic for chickpeas, occurred in the 13th century, when a cookbook written by an Arab historian made mention of the Middle Eastern staple.)

That takes us to Janine Johnson, the founder of Cookie D’oH Hummus, a La Salle-based enterprise that specializes in dessert-style hummus, a burgeoning food trend that enjoyed global sales of US$110 million in 2025 and has been described as “when dessert dreams collide with health-conscious living.” The mother of two laughs, admitting she never knew International Hummus Day was a thing — an oversight she vows to rectify straight away.

“Maybe in the back of my mind I was aware, because seriously, there seems to be a day for pretty much every food out there,” Johnson says, cradling a mug of London Fog tea. “Now that I know for sure, I promise to recognize it in some manner, going forward.”

N.B. potato chip maker says changes coming, as residents file claims

FREDERICTON - A popular potato chip maker in New Brunswick says it is continuing efforts to limit its facility's impact on nearby residents.

The Covered Bridge Potato Chip company says it started taking steps last year that included setting up a large fence, planting trees and adding sound-deadening measures.

The company's president Brook Dickinson said in a statement Friday it would complete any outstanding tasks in the plan for its Woodstock, N.B., facility in the coming weeks and that it was in full compliance with municipal and provincial regulations. 

Over a dozen residents of the town have said they are planning to take legal action against Covered Bridge for ruining their neighbourhood with noise, smells and traffic.

Three Winnipeg restaurants among Canada’s best

Three Winnipeg restaurants have made it into the annual Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list.

Mandel Hitzer’s Deer + Almond and Emily Butcher’s Nola, both which appeared last year, retained their spots but dropped down in placing.

Hitzer’s restaurant at 85 Princess St. held the rear of the top 50, down 16 places from last year’s 34 ranking.

Nola (300 Taché Ave.) came in at 88, after making its debut on last years’ list at 86.

Maple Leaf Foods reviving plant-based brand Yves Veggie Cuisine

Plant-based meat alternative brand Yves Veggie Cuisine is making a comeback.

Maple Leaf Foods Inc. says it's reviving five Yves products, including veggie deli sliced products and original and Mexican veggie ground round.

Maple Leaf spokesperson Victoria Berry says the relaunch reflects the company's confidence in the plant-based category.

She says the launch date has not been set yet, but expects to see the products in stores this summer.

Chicken and Waffles add a sweet-salty twist to Mother’s Day

If you are a brunch person, then you may have noticed a new dish in town, sitting comfortably in recent years alongside longtime favorites like Eggs Benedict and French Toast. It's Chicken and Waffles, current darling of the brunch crowd.

If you are on the hunt for a Mother’s Day dish that will dazzle, put this on your short list.

Chicken and waffles is exactly what it sounds like, with room for interpretation. When I first told my son about this dish several years ago, he said, “You’re making that up. Why would anyone serve that combination?”

Then he tried it, and joined the fan club.

Quebec pharmacy chain removing energy drinks from shelves to protect young people

MONTREAL - A Quebec City-based pharmacy chain says it will remove energy drinks from its store shelves amid growing calls for the Quebec government to ban the sale of the high-caffeine beverages to children.

The Familiprix chain, which includes 455 affiliated pharmacies in Quebec and New Brunswick, announced Wednesday it is withdrawing energy drinks from its stores in both provinces, saying it won't sell the beverages “until public authorities establish more regulated access parameters for these products.”

The move comes as Quebec’s order of pharmacists has joined the movement to have the sale of energy drinks restricted to those aged 16 and over.

“The Familiprix network wishes to actively contribute to the collective reflection on the regulation of energy drinks and to the promotion of the safe use of products that may have an impact on health,” the pharmacy chain said in a news release.

Hermanos steakhouse expands brand to Brandon

Hermanos South American Steakhouse is preparing to open its first location outside Winnipeg — in the historic Brandon central fire station — next month.