Make It Canadian, Eh! BACK

Politeness and conservativeness may colour Canada’s global personality — and that’s a good thing!  But we also boast some standout culture, tastes and icons that can really rock our national roots for a memorable Canadiana-themed event showcase.

Excite your group’s taste for our country with the following ideas that clearly fly the red-and-white maple leaf pride and stoke the patriotic senses:

Gift Canada
From Canuck-goodie laden gift baskets to iconic teasers, adventure gear and Native art, Idea Incentives helps make sourcing Canadian-centric gifts a one-stop shopping affair. The online catagloue features over 3,000 themed gift ideas, with a hefty portion made here or sourced from local artists. The firm spotlights the nation coast to coast and will customize according to event needs. Get your order in now for Inukshuks, the symbol of the upcoming 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. www.idea-incentives.com

Artful Inspiration
Introduce guests to the Group of Seven and other Canadian artists with an event at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. Set amid 100 acres of wooded landscape (think Canadian teambuilding adventures!) in Kleinburg, ON, the log-and-stone cabin-styled gallery is 30 minutes from Toronto. The gallery houses over 6,000 pieces celebrating Canada’s artistic heritage. Several event spaces, ranging in capacities of up to 220, are available including the lobby with cathedral ceiling and stone features, McMichael Restaurant, the Founder’s Lodge with fieldstone hearth and various other breakout spots around the grounds. www.mcmichael.com

Menu Must-haves
Set your culinary sights on venison, bison, wild salmon, Maritime lobster, native berries and, of course, maple syrup … indigenous ingredients from across the nation that deliciously deliver Canada on a plate. Catered Affare adds tasteful fun into the cooking and presentation of the country’s culinary best with unique twists such as maple-glazed braided salmon on cedar planks, tulip-shaped salmon lollipops, local lamb tasting plates and botanical garden-styled crudités loaded with seasonal, locally grown carrots and vegetables. Canadian wine and micro-brew pairings an absolute must! www.cateredaffare.com

Waters Run Deep
On the table or in a gift bag, offer a taste of pure Canadian glacier and spring waters. Bottled H2O from across the nation makes up 20% of the over 50 über brands available through Danforth Avenue’s The WaterShoppe. The shop’s owners are happy to organize and lead interactive water tasting sessions. For top-of-the-list purity: 10 Thousand BC reigns with pristine glacier waters from a remote, environmentally protected region of British Columbia. Or throw some hip Canuckness your guests’ way with 1 Litre, water from Ontario’s Northumberland Forest all dolled up in a nifty cocktail shaker. www.thewatershoppe.com

Canuck Cocktail
Mixologist Danielle Tatarin of the Designer Cocktail Company recommends spotlighting Canada in a cocktail glass. Here’s her twist on combining two iconic ingredients -- rye whiskey and maple syrup -- in a signature drink introduced to her by Jean-Paul, a 30-year bartending maestro at Québec City’s Château Frontenac.

 

Shake up a batch of The Canadiana created by the Designer Cocktail Company

The Canadiana
2 oz. (60 ml) Canadian Club Whiskey
3/4 oz. (23 ml or 1.5 tbsp) maple syrup, reduced for thickness
(reserve a bit for drizzle garnish)
1/2 oz. (15 ml or 1 tbsp) fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. (15 ml or 1 tbsp) egg whites (pasteurized)

Shake all ingredients on ice and strain over crushed ice in cocktail glass.  The egg whites will create a froth on top of the drink. Drizzle reduced maple syrup over the froth and garnish with a lime slice. www.designercocktail.com

Hands-on Taste
Bring Canadian locale, knowledge and food together in a customized culinary experience at The Good Earth Cooking School, picturesquely set on a 55-acre working fruit farm in nearby Beamsville, ON. Resident and guest chefs (often of celebrity renown!), along with owner Nicolette Novak, offer many session ideas, from cooking with Niagara’s wine-countryside’s seasonal ingredients including hands-on harvesting from the school’s gardens and fields, to full coast-to-coast menus. Class size limited to 12 people. Layer in a guided tour of local wineries in the area. www.goodearthcooking.com

Ambient Dine-in
Strike ordering Canadian décor when hosting at Canoe Restaurant & Bar in the TD Centre. Flying high 54 floors above Toronto, the nation’s eloquence shines through on the plate and in the ambience. The restaurant’s stylish simplicity with muted hues, gleaming natural woods and tasteful Canadiana imagery is ideal for semi-private and private celebrations from 8 to 250-reception style. Exquisitely executed dishes capture the flavours and textures of inspired regional cuisine. Subtle art and accents – an Inukshuk has place of honour, an old map of the country has wall presence – further applaud our nation’s greatness. www.canoerestaurant.com

Maple Sweet
Maple syrup is anything but traditional in the hands of Ninutik. Richard Brault and Dianne Croteau, designer-owners of sister company Studio Innova, meld aesthetics and the riches of Ontario’s maple-sugar harvest in a distinctively elegant gift collection. Among the delights: Coco 22, a delicious ensemble of hand-painted maple sugar-infused white chocolates; Squeeze 250, a syrup-filled chic kitchen must-have tool for artistic drizzling; Marvel 35, sophisticated maple sugar wafers; or Cube 57, a pristine lump of maple sugar nestled in the exacting dimensions of a finely hewn maple wood cube. www.ninutik.com

Into The Woods
Go for a jaw-dropping reaction with event décor that transforms a venue into a living Canadian wilderness. Amherst Greenhouses can instantly landscape lush forests of beautiful cedars, maples and birch trees, install native rockery and plants, create a babbling brook or waterfall anywhere, from trade show floors to ballroom foyers and outdoor terraces. The native and exotic plant rental company boasts over 45 years experience in film, commercial, TV and special event work. Lumberjacks not included! www.amherstgreenhouses.com

Iconic Entertainment
Cantering atop garbage-can steeds in perfect step to marching tunes, The Renfrews perform “the world’s smallest Musical Ride.” With tongue firmly in cheek, the Ottawa-based entertainment duo spoofs the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and their ceremonial traditions with outrageous pomp and pageantry, physical comedy and hilarious audience interaction. The “mounted” pair makes for excellent photo opportunities, event greeters and strolling entertainment. www.therenfrews.com