Practical gifts are often the ones most appreciated by dads. This year, why not celebrate Father’s Day with a gift from the heart that appeals to his food-loving side? Whether he likes to cook, or perhaps just to eat, here are some timely suggestions.
YOW Popcorn
Many dads like craft beer, so why not pair it with some craft snacks? YOW Popcorn handcrafts gourmet popcorn right here in Ottawa in a range of tempting flavours both savoury and sweet. A favourite snack at many of the area’s microbreweries, this irresistible treat is also popular for weddings and special events. With creative flavours such as sweet maple, dill pickle, sriracha-lime, honey-barbeque and SO many more, there’s certain to be the perfect blend for every dad. Find all the details including how to order at https://yowpopcornco.com/.
Slide & Serve BBQ Skewers
Canada’s Proud Grill Company now offers an innovative design that solves many shish kabob dilemmas. Made of heavy-duty stainless steel, these fish-shaped skewers can be reused forever and their unique angled prongs hold food securely while grilling. When your meat and/or vegetables are cooked, it’s easy to slide the food off the skewers and onto serving plates. They’re even dishwasher safe, which dad will appreciate. Available at Home Hardware, Capital BBQ, Cabela’s and more. https://proudgrill.com/slide-and-serve-bbq-skewers/
Bike & Bites Tour
Fun for the whole family! Ottawa’s C’est Bon Gourmet Food Tours, in partnership with Escape Bicycle Tours & Rentals, offers a 3.5-hour guided cycling/walking culinary tour of Ottawa. The tour – which recently won the 2019 Ottawa Tourism Award for best tourism partnership – includes tasty samples and covers some of Ottawa’s major attractions, accessed via our city’s most scenic bicycle paths. Participants will make delicious discoveries at some of Ottawa’s hidden gems and must-see eateries in the Glebe neighborhood, also home to Lansdowne Park and the Ottawa Farmers Market. The tour runs every Sunday from May to October; tickets must be purchased in advance. Find details or book a tour at http://www.cestboncooking.ca
A la plancha grilling gear
Cooking a la plancha – grilling on an iron plate or griddle – is a growing trend for barbecue enthusiasts. Napoleon makes a great cast iron griddle that can be used over a charcoal grill or gas barbeque. Whether dad wants to make a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs, stir fry vegetables or whip up some awesome fajitas, plancha style cooking is ideal for anything too small to cook on traditional barbeque grates. Throw in a set of tools including an oversized spatula and a scraper for easy cleanup and dad will be the king of the grill. Available at Home Depot, Lowes and many other retailers or online at https://www.napoleon.com.
Thermapen
Savvy grillers know that the secret to a perfect steak, tender chop or juicy burger is having a quality meat thermometer. With full readings in only 2 to 3 seconds, the British-made Thermapen Mk4 is favoured by chefs for both its speed and accuracy. Hold it in any direction and the display automatically rotates right-side-up so you can read it in any position, in either hand, straight up or down. The folding design protects the probe; it also has a motion sensing sleep & wake mode plus an intelligent backlight. It’s even waterproof, and comes in 10 different colours. Available at C.A. Paradis or https://www.thermoworks.com.
Paula Roy
