Teaser - Vicarious Spring 2023

SPRING 2023

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CONTENTS

EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITOR AT LARGE CONTRIBUTORS

10 12 14

First Drive 2023 PORSCHE 911 DAKAR

Featured Region NAPLES: HISTORY, BEAUTY, FOOD, REPEAT 24

RITZ RECIPES CORKSCREW

30 32

Special Feature FAST CARS AND FINE WINES

Featured Car 2023 TOYOTA GR COROLLA

Discovered THE 2022 GREAT RACE

Power Brokers RALPH GILLES

Discovered EXPLORING PENNSYLVANIA BACKCOUNTRY

Featured Motorcycle 2023 MOTO GUZZI V100 MANDELLO S

OUR TEAM

EDITOR IN CHIEF Jeff Voth jvoth@vicariousmag.com

Discovered NEWFOUNDLAND ROAD TRIP

EDITOR AT LARGE Matthew Neundorf mneundorf@vicariousmag.com SENIOR EDITOR Dan Heyman dheyman@vicariousmag.com WEEKENDS EDITOR Steven Bochenek sbochenek@vicariousmag.com

Driver’s Seat 2022 ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST

Featured Truck 2023 INEOS GRENADIER

Discovered DRIVING TO THE MOUNTAINTOPS 88

CONTRIBUTORS Edward Narraca Graham Heeps Mark Hacking Mark Richardson Mercedes Lilienthal Pablo Kovacs Peter Bleakney Rob Smith Sue Callaway

Special Feature FIELD OF DREAMS

Game Changers GOING TO THE WALL IN MIAMI

100

DESIGN & LAYOUT Jennifer Elia

Timezone Q TIMEX GMT AND LONGINES SPIRIT ZULU TIME

106

DIRECTOR OF NEWSSTAND Craig Sweetman

Gear Up! COLLABORATIONS

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertising@trqmedia.com

110

PUBLISHER TRQ MEDIA INC. 16 Heritage Court St. Catharines, ON Canada L2S 3H9

EXIT LANE

114

EDITOR IN CHIEF

“We are a product of the choices we make, not the circumstances that we face.” – Roger Crawford

I f someone handed you $1 Million dollars, what vehicle would you buy? This is a question I have been asked in many different ways over the years as a seasoned automotive journalist. Usually it sounds more like this, “So, what’s your favourite car?” It is both a fair and completely unfair inquiry by those asking it. How do I possibly pick just one vehicle from the long list of fine automobiles I have had the privilege of driving in my lifetime? It is like trying to choose your favourite grandchild or pick between chocolate or red wine. Why must you limit me to just one? Of course, as a journalist I do my best to deflect the question at every opportunity, having learned years ago that more often than not, the person asking isn’t really looking for me to answer what my choice would be, but rather confirm that their choice is the right one. So, I turn it around and ask them what’s their favourite vehicle. In most cases, this actually works. But there are inquirers who will push me for an answer and so I do actually have a list of vehicles that I would personally chose. My mind races to sports cars from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Top of the list, a 1963 Corvette Split-Window. Not far behind is a 1972 Chevelle SS, 1970-71 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda Convertible and a classic Porsche 911. Did you see the 1973 Porsche 911 S featured in the recent blockbuster movie Top Gun Maverick? Now

that is a vehicle worth spending some big money on! To find the right one of these would probably come close to or even exceed the $1 million thresh- old, but it’s a fantasy list, so a guy can dream. There are numerous dream-worthy vehicles in our latest issue and some of them are surpris- ingly affordable. Who would ever consider putting a Corolla on their wish list is a question many of us would ask. But Mark Hacking will tell you, the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla deserves more than just an honourable mention no matter the cost. To further broaden our list of desirable automobiles, Senior Editor Dan Heyman pilots the all-new 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar up sand dunes and down in the deserts of Morocco, while Peter Bleakney takes a different track and digs in to the snow and ice-cov- ered roads of Montebello, Quebec from behind the wheel of a Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost. For those who prefer two-wheels affixed to black asphalt, fantasies take shape in the form of a glori- ous 2023 Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello S. Discovered stories in this issue cover the gamut from exploring Pennsylvania backroads and New Hampshire’s mountaintops, to the 2022 Great Race, Newfoundland coast and graffitied streets of Miami. Where you start your VICARIOUS jour- ney this time is almost as challenging as choosing your favourite vehicle. In this case, every choice is a great one. Let the adventure begin!

JEFF VOTH Editor In Chief | VICARIOUS jvoth@vicariousmag.com

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EDITOR AT LARGE

“It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

S itting deep in the bowels of terminal one at Pearson, the visibility through the window is near zero. Meteorological models were predicting between three and five centimetres in total, but I swear I’ve seen that fall in the two hours I’ve been waiting to board my flight. And I’m starting to question Mr. Emerson’s logic… This trip marks the first vacation abroad my wife and I have taken in over five years. Sure, there have been a sprinkling of press trips here and there, but travel for work – even when it lands us spoiled journalists in exotic locales – is never the same as travel for pleasure. There is much more pressure – or maybe it’s just a longing? – for everything to go right. That and, the missus is usually left at home. That’s probably why the family of five, two rows over, are fretting in such an animated manner. I’m having enough trouble staying positive for my wife and I, let alone haranguing a couple of munchkins and a pint-sized therapy dog that’s been force fed enough trazadone to blunt Keith Richards. The CBC recently ran an editorial that declared the golden age of air travel will never return. Security, pricing and competition have all conspired to reduce the experience of air travel to something akin to being crammed into a Route 501 TTC streetcar or the 319 TransLink Bus – a terrible yet necessary experience. As someone who’s enjoyed both the fruits of first class – the meals come with actual cutlery! And

your cocktails (yes, cocktails) are served in proper glassware – and suffered at the indifference of economy – May I have a?… oh, never mind – I can confirm that, while the flight is inarguably less insufferable with all of the spoils, I really didn’t care. The only thing I was concerned with, regard- less of seating assignments was the destination. Which is weird because, as a motorcyclist, the journey is always the destination. I’ve planned and executed entire weeks around roads alone, never really giving thought to an endpoint other than not retracing my wheelmarks. As a motoring enthusiast, I feel much the same. Road trips require the most circuitous and engaging routes. Little concern is given to the kilo- metres being logged, only that they be as much fun, picturesque or winding as possible. When we’re lucky, we get all three! Sure there’s an ultim- ate destination but really, that’s just where we turn around. The trip is the destination. I try to reconcile my duelling concepts of travel as the PA crackles again overhead. The infinitely apologetic voice is there to let us know that our flight will be further delayed. Something about the plane needing to being towed to the gate before it can be sanitized and stocked. Towed, you say? I wonder how Ralph would feel about me stealing some trazadone from that dog… Man, I can’t wait to finally get to Cozumel.

MATTHEW NEUNDORF Editor At Large | VICARIOUS mneundorf@vicariourmag.com

DOMINATE ADVENTURE

CONTRIBUTORS

SUE CALLAWAY Entrepreneur, award-winning journalist and author, media marketing pioneer, and automotive insider, Sue Callaway has built and transformed global brands for Time Inc., Wenner Media and Hearst, co-founded Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit and innovated marketing and content platforms for brands from Esquire and Jaguar to TrueCar and THE AUTO 100. Most recently, Sue founded Glovebox Media, a boutique strategy and content shop that helps companies achieve ROI by telling their most passionate stories—the authentic way. Prior to Glovebox, she was the Senior Editor, Automotive, for Time Inc., where she oversaw automotive and luxury industry coverage—digital, video, social and print—for Fortune, Sports Illustrated, Time, and Money, among the company’s 90-plus brands. Her industry coverage has also appeared in Conde Nast Traveler, Town & Country, Rosso, as well as on CNN, CBS’s The Early Show, CNNMoney.com, the Today Show and other TV, online and print outlets. MERCEDES LILIENTHAL Award-winning journalist, photographer, and contributor for The New York Times, Car and Driver, Forbes, Autoblog, TREAD Magazine, and more, Mercedes Lilienthal creates engaging editorial covering the auto- motive industry, global travel and experiences tied to it, and inspira- tional people doing their part to change it. Mercedes uses creativity as a wordsmith to craft unique, carefully curated content (primarily using her own photography). Mercedes was born to German immigrants who moved to the United States without knowing a word of English. A dual citizen of Germany and the U.S., Mercedes travels the world and competes in automotive rally events as a competitor/media. She’s partnered with auto- makers like Volkswagen of America, Subaru of America, and Jeep. She successfully piloted an all-electric crossover 1,400 miles across a barren desert with her co-driver, a map, and compass. With her husband as the driver, Mercedes navigated their 1991 diesel Pajero to the Arctic Ocean and back in temps to -43 degrees Celsius during a 10-day, 8,000-plus-kilometer road rally, and more. Mercedes expects the unexpected. She documents each experience along the way. MARK RICHARDSON Mark Richardson writes about cars and motorcycles for The Globe and Mail , and is the former editor of the Toronto Star’s Wheels section. He loves a good road trip, and has written books about riding and driving across North America: In 2004, he retraced the route of Robert Pirsig to San Francisco in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and in 2012, he drove the length of the Trans-Canada Highway to celebrate its 50th anniversary. It was first opened to Canadian drivers on the same day he was born, which kind of made the road trip a done deal.

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FIRST DRIVE

2023 PORSCHE 911 DAKAR SAND SURFING IN THE MOROCCAN DESERT

Story

Dan Heyman

Y ou’ve seen and felt it all before. The digitized version of the traditional five-gauge instru- ment cluster. The upright dash, windshield and steering wheel and seating positions. The “Braun shaver” shift dongle. The three-spoke wheel with its round hub. The ignition mounted to the left of the steering column. This is a Porsche 911, make no bones about it. Except this time, it’s a little different. Check that; it’s very different. It’s different simply because of what you’re look- ing at as you’re staring through that upright wind- screen at the road ahead – but it’s not really a road, is it? It’s more a path cut through fine, red sand the likes of which you’ve only ever seen in a James Bond flick or on the glossy pages of National Geographic . But this is no movie – this is real life and you’re at the helm of one of the most out-there 911 models to ever come out of Stuttgart: the 911 Dakar, and it’s quite literally made for this stuff. So named for the famous Paris-Dakar off-road endurance race (that actually now runs in the

Middle East after a brief sojourn to South America) that Porsche won in 1984 and ‘86, the 911 Dakar is one of those beautiful things in the car world whose very existence proves that still, even today, OEMs can put all the talk of autonomy and EV aside and just focus on what a car’s like to drive. Sure; you could make the argument that the 911 and others like it already make that point but this here’s another level. It rides 50 mm higher than the 911 Carrera 4 GTS plus a further 30 mm – that’s 80 mm total – if you raise it up via a button press or by selecting the Offroad drive mode. It will stay at that height all the way up to 170 km/h, which, according to Porsche, it should have no problem doing on rough roads. Unlike other 911 models that only get front lift, this gets both front and rear lift. Rallye mode joins Offroad as the two Dakar-specific modes this new 911 gets. And, if you wanted to, you could drop an additional 13 grand or so to have your Dakar look like those past winners Even without the fancy graphics (or the optional roof rack, spotlights or…tent. All official Porsche accessories) it doesn’t take long to see how the

Dakar is something different. It rides higher on chunky off-road tires developed specifically by Pirelli for the Dakar and it gets wider fenders and skidplates both front and rear. This does add extra weight, but that’s countered by rear seat delete, lightweight glass and carbon bucket seats, frunk lid and rear spoiler so it only weighs 10 kilos more than a GTS. There’s also further optional under- body protection if you want it, but it isn’t fully necessary. “The rear axle is protected,” said Achim Lamparter, chassis manager for the 911 Dakar. “And we have double-stiff GT3 engine mounts…for (when) the car is jumping.” Jumping! In a showroom-spec 911! Power-wise, the Dakar is unchanged from the GTS – that’s 473 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of

torque fed to all four wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch ‘box – there is no manual option. Rear-wheel steering also comes standard and they have tweaked the Porsche Stability and Traction Management (PSM/PTM) systems to work with the new drive modes; Offroad gives you a 50/50 power distribution, while Rallye gives you more rear bias meant for faster gravel work. Power can always be shuffled around if need be. Indeed, we’d need all the help we could get consid- ering some of the certifiably bonkers terrain we’d be traversing – think 250 metre-high sand dunes. Even though we were in the middle of the Moroccan desert, we did have to drive to the dunes which meant our drive started out on the kind of surface most 911 models are accustomed to: tarmac. Here,

other than the noise from the tires (which is a little louder than what’s emitted by winter rubber), it’s all 911. Sure; you sit a little higher but the 911 already has a pretty upright seating position and windshield, so lifting it up 50 mm doesn’t really tell a tale. Even if the Dakar doesn’t equal the performance of the GTS in more “911” conditions, it doesn’t matter so much because anyone who owns one of the 2500 they’re building for ’23 (at about $250,000 a pop) probably also has a GTS or Boxster. Or both. Through the few turns we did have, the Dakar felt planted and communicative, as anything with “911” on its bootlid should feel. It sure doesn’t feel more “Macan” than “911”, and that’s crucial. Off road, the feeling is almost eerie. You look down at the familiar gauge cluster and interior details and think “what’s the big deal?” but then you look at the road ahead – well, the path ahead, anyway, and the camels currently traversing it – and you’re like “oh – now I see” because what you’re looking at is a terrain no sports car should be on. It gets eerier still as you start to push forward over loose gravel and softball-sized rocks and feel, well,

almost nothing. The suspension and heavy tires are so well tuned that everything is swallowed up with gumption. You’re doing about 70 km/h on this stuff like it’s cotton candy. It’s uncanny – but just wait... ..because it’s time to hit the dunes. Like deep snow, the goal here is not to stop because if you do, you will sink into that ultra-fine sand and have to be hauled out by one of the gamely Toyota Land Cruiser Prado SUVs tagging along. You have to keep those tires spinning to stay atop the sand, which we had no problem doing. Make use of the paddles, keep it in gears 1-3 and mash the throt- tle, focusing on your steering inputs. There is little I’ve done in the world of performance car driving or off roading that can prepare you for the feel- ing of drifting a 911 through sand, the front wheels flinging the stuff across your windscreen as you counter-steer your way to the top. The route chosen didn’t feature that many precipi- tous ledges to tumble off of, so we were able to contently push forth, pulling off bigger and bigger drift angles and using the mass slung out over the rear wheels to whip our tails from turn to turn. All

done with nary a complaint from the chassis or steering; you can tell the Dakar was made for this. While the Porsche 953 (pictured on page 21) and 959 models used to win the race in the ‘80s were a far cry from what’s seen here, some of the mech- anics at play there remain today. Namely, do not be scared to control this thing with the throttle. During our time through the sand dunes, I swear I can count maybe on two hands the amount of times I actually depressed – or even brushed – the brake. Doing so could cause the front end to dive, and even a little of that could cause it to dig in and stick, which is what happened to a colleague of mine – but let’s not go there, eh? Instead, all I would do was lift a little off the throt- tle, let the front end pick up just a little and bam! Right back on the gas to get the weight over the rear axle, allowing those blocky Pirelli treads to just dig in and power out.

As cool as this all is, though, it begs the question: why? How many are going to be bashing through sand dunes in their Dakar? Well, for starters you can swap “bashing through sand dunes” to “slid- ing through winter” and for many, that makes more sense. Secondly – it doesn’t really matter. This is a “because they can” or a “because I can” type of vehicle, executed to perfection. People like to know they have something special, even if they never put it fully to use – how many Pagani Huayra owners are ever going to come close to its claimed 238 mph top speed? How many Dodge Demon owners are going to slap on the skinny tires and regularly go drag racing? Well, perhaps a few more than those that will test their Pagani’s V-max but that’s just it; they know they can, and that’s enough. The Dakar, with its liveries and high ride height and rear seat delete is an event, and that’s what matters.

FEATURED REGION

NAPLES IS MORE THAN PIZZA HISTORY, BEAUTY, FOOD, REPEAT

Story and Photography I Steven Bochenek

COMMUTER TRAIN FROM NAPLES

R elax. Those tales of Mafiosi and trash-strewn streets are bunk. The only thing to beware in Naples is that there’s too much to do or see. Making decisions gets hard. Visit with the atti- tude that you’ll return soon, though the expression always leave the table a little hungry won’t apply in this foodie’s crack house. FIRST: ANCIENT ROMAN OVERDRIVE. Imagine taking a 40-minute Canadian subway ride (or Metro, SkyTrain, etc.) and disembarking 2000 years in the past. A nondescript commuter milk run from Naples’ chaotic Central Station stops at the very gates of Pompeii, just 22.5 rattling kilo- metres from 2023. Assuming you visit in the off-season to avoid the choking crowds — and evaporating amid these exposed roofless ruins — you can casually absorb Pompeii’s Insta-ssentials in four hours. Included? Two bath houses whose clever plumb- ing would embarrass modern Britain; the Forum, which presents a stunning vista of the still-active volcano Vesuvius (because it was flattened by it!); the Lupanare brothel with its porny menu of

services painted above its, umm, stalls; the big and small theatres with their Stairmaster-shaming gradients; the vast amphitheatre (of Floyd fame, man); and endless miles of gleaming stone roads.

Pause and listen. It’s haunting. BACK IN TOWN, IF NOT TIME.

Love history? Pompeii’s best-preserved wall paint- ings, statuary and mosaics were transported early for safe keeping in Naples’ National Archeological Museum. Go! Its other treasures range from ancient Greece (once a Greek colony, Napoli comes from Neapolis – New City) to the Renaissance. Give yourself two hours before succumbing to Stendhal Syndrome. Then walk ten minutes to two fascinating underground cemeteries. CATACOMBS: THINK YOUR JOB SUCKS? You’ll find i Catacombe di San Gennaro e San Gaudioso advertised separately, but one ticket includes hourlong tours of both. Long hidden for reasons of public safety, these subterran- ean ossuaries are lovingly guided by passionate volunteers.

CATACOMBS

San Gennaro’s older, dating from Christianity’s earliest days. Its upper, superiore, chambers feature crude altars and faded Byzantine-painted family tombs. “The Vatican claims this room was ever consecrated, always being a church,” the docent waves an arm around the dank lower, inferiore, level “but, when a boy, my uncle would break in and play, here, football!” Though newer, the San Gaudioso catacombs over- compensate with vile grotesquerie. Examples? A hole in the ceiling connotes easily the worst career choice in the Renaissance. Undertakers would drain corpses here, then break their bones, folding them to fit carry-on sized caskets. Yuck! And for the wealthier citizens who’d bought quick passage to heaven? They’d cut off their heads!

Later, they’d slot the dried skull into a hole in the wall, capping a painting of the departed’s skeleton like a funhouse cut-out. Some depict symbols of the skull’s erstwhile earthly status — say a cutlass for gents, jewels for the ladies. NOW SURFACE AND GET LOST IN THE PRESENT. It’s tempting to compare maps of Naples, the birthplace of pizza, to a plate of spaghetti. Moreover, built on sinewaves of hills, navigating here gets doubly confusing. Taxis must zigzag narrow urban switchbacks, many one-way. So, a 500m trip straight uphill — “I see my hotel from the Lungomare!” — can take 6km and $30. Don’t drive! Naples is Italy on steroids. Those tales of psychotic drivers are not bunk. Instead, choose

CATACOMBS

POMPEII, ITALY

THE MUSEO ARCHEOLOGICO NAZIONALE DI NAPOLI

SEAFOOD PIZZA

POMPEII, ITALY

THE MUSEO ARCHEOLOGICO NAZIONALE DI NAPOLI

NAPLES, ITALY

the excellent public transit: buses, subways and underground funiculars that climb straight, elim- inating switchbacks. Or just wander! Embrace the sheer havoc of human traffic swamping the many pedestrian passages. My favourite areas? The Quartieri Spagnoli (Naples was also once a Spanish colony) and Chiaia. Following the hill contours, asymmet- rical public “squares” spill into impassable lanes shaded by flapping laundry. Restaurants and gelat- erie abound. Colourful outdoor markets burst with freshly picked veg and fresher caught fish. GETTING CLAUSTROPHOBIC? Here off Via Toledo, you’re steps from an unforget- table seaside walk — but maybe save it for the golden sunset. Go 150m the other way to the funicular.

For Naples’ unmissable 360-degree view, pay the few euros’ fee to circumambulate the stout walls of Castel Sant’Elmo. Now gawp! Naples doesn’t as much sprawl as tumble. Up here, you can almost

reach out and touch Vesuvius and Capri. ALL THIS TOURING STOKES THE APPETITE. MANGIAMO!

Your daily mission: watch for unpretentious family-owned pizzerias. For €14, my favourite composes Earth’s finest frutti di mare (seafood) pizza, crowded with mussels and clams still a-shell. So, you’re forced to work gingerly, prying apart sharp bits to release the succulent flesh — probably caught today — before exposing the perfectly moist-yet-crunchy tomato-charged crust. Mamma mia!

POMPEII, ITALY

RITZ RECIPES

VICARIOUS has partnered with The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto to bring you some of their favourite recipes with each issue. Try these for yourself and enjoy the pleasure of fine dining in the cozy confines of your own home or home on the road.

EARTH-TO-TABLE FARE Helming the kitchen at EPOCH Bar & Kitchen Terrace, Chef Jeff Crump, is a Canadian slow-food pioneer and founder of Earth to Table Organic Farm and Earth to Table Bread Bar. Crump has authored two cookbooks based on the ‘eat local’ concept. The EPOCH Bar & Kitchen Terrace menu is a culinary homage to our Chef’s earth-to-table phil- osophy, and his roots in the UK Gastrobar scene at The Fat Duck and the Hind’s Head. Thoughtfully- sourced ingredients and an emphasis on season- ality is of paramount importance to his menu concepts. Chef Crump’s cuisine can be described

EPOCH Bar & Kitchen Terrace redefines pub culture and pays homage to traditional British Gastrobars. Tucked away on the lobby level of the luxurious Ritz-Carlton, the restaurant gives a nod to iconic food and beverage trends of the past, reimagined with a new perspective on modern dining. Designed by DesignAgency’s Allen Chan, EPOCH provides a contemporary and welcoming atmos- phere. Guests are greeted with a relaxed chic dining room, the ideal place to unwind and social- ize among a thoughtfully curated gallery of works by Canadian artists, Caitlin Cronenberg and Heidi Conrod. The centerpiece of the restaurant is a stunning wraparound bar fitted with pale stone countertops. The Green Room, adorned with a fireplace and pool table, is a cozy space, perfect for intimate events, and a tribute to the entertain- ment industry and Hollywood North. The terrace, created to be an extension of Simcoe Park, features a canopied bar, perfectly framing Anish Kapoor’s ‘mountain sculpture’ in the park and offers stun- ning views of the CN Tower, and also has an open- air kitchen with stone fire oven and sleek fire pits. General Manager, Guillaume Benezech says, ‘We wanted to provide a place that evokes your own story, where you can enjoy a personalized experi- ence and create memories with your friends, family and colleagues.’

as approachable and seasonally inspired. A SIP THROUGH THE AGES

EPOCH’s cocktails, handcrafted by mixologist Jon Neill, use creative mixology techniques to transport patrons through a compelling story- line. The beverage menu is divided into chapters: concepts, ingredients & infusions are inspired by garden ambiance, tropical motifs & a nod to clas- sic cinema. Along with its regularly scheduled service, EPOCH offers Afternoon Tea daily and a traditional Sunday Supper Prime Rib Roast Dinner.

MISO BLACK COD

INGREDIENTS 1½ lbs black cod, skin off, and cut into 4 oz slices 2 tablespoon white miso

DIRECTIONS 1. Lay fish slices in a shallow glass or earthenware baking dish. Put white miso, sake, mirin, soy sauce, ginger and sugar in a small bowl and stir well. 2. Dot half the miso mixture evenly over fish, then rub with fingers to lightly coat slices. Leave to marinate for 1 hour. Heat oven to 400 degrees. 3. Bake on top shelf of oven for 6 to 8 minutes, until fish is firm, then place pan under broiler to glaze. Broil 1 to 2 minutes until topping begins to brown. With a spatula, transfer fish to serving platter.

1 tablespoon sake 1 tablespoon mirin 2 teaspoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons grated ginger 1 tablespoon sugar

CHEF JEFF CRUMP Chef Jeff Crump is the restaurant chef at EPOCH Bar & Kitchen Terrace located on the lobby level of The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto. Prior to opening EPOCH, he worked at several of the world’s top restaurants, including Lumière in British Columbia, Chez Panisse in California and The Fat Duck in England. He is a Canadian Slow Food pioneer and founder of Earth to Table Organic Farm, Earth to Table Bread Bar restaurants - Bread Bar. Chef Jeff’s cuisine can be described as authentic and genuinely delicious. He is the author of two cookbooks based on the eat local philosophy. At EPOCH Bar & Kitchen Terrace, Jeff celebrates Toronto with a Gastrobar fusion cuisine menu, using the diversity of Toronto and the influence of his culinary team to create a unique and flavourful seasonal menu. In the summer, guests can take a Master Class in Grilling and Forno with Chef Jeff at the EPOCH Terrace Kitchen.

CORKSCREW

T o anyone who appreciates the finer points of taking corners at speed on a race track, the word ‘Corkscrew’ means only one thing; turns 7, 8 and 8a at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. It’s iconic. Get it right and you will be smiling for a least the next 1:27.62 seconds as your work your way back for another go around should you happen to be driving a McLaren Senna, the current record holder. Of course, there is an equally compelling use of the word corkscrew that evokes a sense of surprise and delight as you anticipate the simple joy found in a fine glass of wine or spirits. While it may be a different pleasure than deftly making it through the famous set of turns located just east of Monterey, California, the pleasure is no less intoxicating. In fact, it is certain to last longer than a perfect lap of the race track. Pablo Kovacs takes us inside the world of wine and spirits with insider knowledge only an expert can share.

ABOUT PABLO KOVACS Food and wine have always been a big part of Pablo’s life. His father, Thomas Kovacs was a chef for Starwood Corp. specializing in opening hotels, so Pablo was fortunate enough to grow up and live all over the world and experience many differ- ent cultures and cuisines. 25 years of hospital- ity experience, doing everything from cooking in award-winning kitchens to running beverage programs for multi-unit restaurant companies, have all had a part in shaping how Pablo treats and cherishes his relationships with his clients. Pablo believes that wine has a unique trait – it brings people together. Special bottles are rarely enjoyed alone, and ever since wine was first produced it has always been a conduit for conversation, good company, and celebration. Besides wine Pablo has a deep passion for fine automobiles and the football team of his alma mater, The University of Washington. Having spent some time working with Singer Vehicle Design in Los Angeles has only made it worse and he’s on the hunt for his own ‘barn find’ so he can get to work on his own restoration. Currently Pablo is a Senior Wine Advisor for Harper’s Club and in his spare time he enjoys rounds of golf, local gather- ings of Cars & Coffee and spending time with his wife Megan, his two children Skylar and Clayton, and their Border Terrier Scout.

LA ENFERMERA 2020 TINTO DE TORO When it comes time to open a bottle of wine

SAMUEL SMITH PURE BREWED ORGANIC LAGER In this day and age of micro-brews and fancy new

that needs to be robust and power- ful yet manageable in alcohol and tannin, few areas produce beautiful wines like the area of Toro in Spain. Tempranillo is the king of Toro, and it is common to find vineyards that are over 100 years old. Small little stumps that at first glance would make you believe that no wine producing grape could grow out of dot the landscape of this dry and hilly region of Spain. This is the land of cured pork, hard cheese, and a brutal and violent history. The year was 1476, Spain was fighting the Battle of Toro against Alfonso V of Portugal. The first queen of Spain, Isabel the Catholic decreed that tents be set up on the outskirts of the battlefield to treat and care for wounded soldiers. The soldiers were also given wines made from

beer making technology, Samuel Smith has withstood the test of time. Founded in 1758 in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire England, Samuel Smith has been producing quality fermented beverages for genera- tions. The folks at the brewery will tell you the secret is the water supply which comes from a limestone lined underground lake. The purity of the water makes it ideal for producing beers that showcase the quality of ingredients that are used to make them. This iconic brewery still owns and operates over 200 pubs in the UK which are famous for their strict rules of conduct for operators and visitors alike. No music allowed and don’t pull out your cell phone, but please stay awhile for a few pints of inexpensive, wonderful quality beer.

the area to help ease their pain and suffering. This simple decree awarded Isabel the moniker of ‘La Enfermera’ or The Nurse. La Enfermera produced by Terra d Uro is not only a brilliant wine but an even more amazing value. You simply cannot find wines of this quality from 140-year-old vines at this price produced anywhere else in the world. I paid $22 for this bottle. $22!!!! I’ve had glasses of wine that I paid $22 for that couldn’t hold a candle to this stuff. It’s simply a delight. Robust with a hint of oak and a long powerful finish. I enjoyed it with a pan-seared NY Strip, creamed spinach, and a butternut squash gratin. It completely blew me away. We all like to wander the aisles of our local wine store wonder- ing what to take a chance on. For me, a bottle of Tempranillo from Toro is always a safe bet and will appease anyone who’s looking for a bargain with- out sacrificing quality.

Lager has always been my beer of choice. If I’m not enjoying my favourite beer on the planet, Saison DuPont, it’s usually an ice cold, crisp Lager. It’s a fantastic beer to enjoy with food and serves as a robust palette cleanser regardless of what you’re enjoying. The Samuel Smith Organic Lager has a permanent residency in my fridge. It’s low in alco- hol so if I happen to need a mid-afternoon atti- tude adjustment it won’t put me on the couch. It’s wonderfully dry and like some modern lager inter- pretations it doesn’t leave a funky aftertaste on the roof of my mouth. The water that Sam Smith uses is the game changer. They’re products all share a strong, clean backbone that allow for the organic barley and organic hops to shine. Lager takes a long time to make, especially this one that is cold brewed utilizing bottom fermenting yeast. The elongated brew process allows time for proper flavour integration and a lovely soft carbonation to manifest. Samuel Smith beers are available world- wide and if you ever find yourself in the neighbour- hood of one of their pubs, do yourself a favour and take a moment to enjoy a pint.

MIJENTA TEQUILA ALTOS PLANOS COLLECTIVE First Tequila distillery to receive a B Corp certification

to start then comes French Oak casks that allow the flavour profile and texture to manifest. Acacia barrels are next that supply unique floral and citrus notes and finally Cherry Oak casks to round of the profile. Mijenta never ever uses flavour sweeteners or enhancers like so many so-called luxury brand Tequilas do. Tequila is not supposed to taste or smell like vanilla, no matter what George Clooney or The Rock are telling you. Mijenta offers 3 levels of spirits. The Blanco is deli- cious as a sipper and is fantastic for any cocktail. The Reposado has a bit more backbone thanks to a bit longer in the cask. I would bathe in this stuff if they would allow me. Lastly is the Gran Reserva Anejo. Totally bonkers, there are not enough superlatives to describe this nectar of the gods. Mijenta hasn’t been around that long so it may be a challenge to find at your local bar but if you bug them enough times, they’ll find it for you. Cheers!

My personal crusade to rid the world of terrible tequila continues. This chapter takes to the Highlands of Jalisco, to an award-winning distil- lery setting the standard on how not only a tequila should be produced, but how a company should operate. I could probably write 20 pages about Mijenta. This is a world- class distillery that makes delicious tequila utilizing a long multi-step aging process to produce amazing juice. A total of 4 different types of casks are used in the aging process. White Oak barrels

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