Radio Royal York – Episode 11: Queen Victoria Look-A-Like Contest

In this episode of Radio Royal York: Host Melanie Coates talks queens, history and gin with Victoria Spirits’ Mia Hunt and the Fairmont Royal York’s own resident historian, Bruce Bell.

Click below to listen or download this episode as an MP3 (runs 19 minutes).

Listen to Episode 11

Show Notes:

* Melanie intros the podcast and delivers a royal proclamation on the first annual Queen Victoria Look-A-Like Contest.
* Melanie welcomes Mia Hunt of Victoria Spirits. They talk about the company, the very talented Hunt family, and the distillery’s unique Vancouver Island location.
* Mia tells us why her family got into the gin business.
* Melanie confesses that she’s not a big fan of gin but admits to having her preferences changed by Victoria Gin.
* Mia tells us why booze connoisseurs are turning to gin.
* Mia describes how gin is made and explains what’s in the “heart” of the run.
* Mia lists the 10 botanicals used in Victoria Gin: juniper, orange peel, lemon peel, angelica, orris root, rose petals, coriander, cinnamon bark, star anise and a secret ingredient. Hint: If you attend the Look-A-Like Contest on May 24th, you’ll find out what it is!
* Melanie asks Mia why Victoria Gin features Queen Victoria on the bottle and inquires about Queen Victoria’s drinking habits.
* Mia tells Melanie where people can find and purchase Victoria Gin, including at The Fairmont Royal York’s Library Bar.
* Mia pumps some of the new products being developed by Victoria Spirits, including Left Coast Hemp Vodka, Oaken Gin, and Twisted & Bitter bitters.
* The ladies toast Queen Victoria and sign-off.

* Melanie introduces The Fairmont Royal York Hotel’s resident historian, Bruce Bell.
* Bruce explains why Queen Victoria was never able to visit Toronto, the “queen city”.
* Bruce talks about how the city “grew-up” with Queen Victoria and how important Victoria Day is to Torontonians.
* Bruce describes the kind of person Queen Victoria was and her grand relationship with Price Albert.
* Bruce recommends that contestants in the Look-A-Like contest take a trip to Queen’s Park to see the statue of Queen Victoria.
* Melanie explains how people can enter the Queen Victoria Look-A-Like contest.
* Melanie and Bruce exchange final pleasantries and share a cuppa Victoria Gin.

This episode features “The Rosebud Waltz” performed by Parlormuse.

Radio Royal York – Episode 10: Turkey To Go

In this episode of Radio Royal York: Host Melanie Coates talks turkey with Executive Chef David Garcelon. Click below to listen or download this episode as an MP3 (runs 20 minutes).

Listen to Episode 10

Show Notes:

* Melanie intros podcast and flubs music lead-in
* Chef Garcelon describes the Fairmont’s Turkey To Go program
* Melanie and Chef Garcelon talk about the rising trend of “take out”
* Melanie asks the “organic” question
* Chef Garcelon provides tips on buying, defrosting and cooking the bird to perfection
* Melanie promises to post the Fairmont’s roast turkey recipe to the Radio Royal York Weblog
* Chef Garcelon talks about local produce included with Turkey To Go and suggests local Ontario wine pairings
* Chef Garcelon offers suggestions about what to do with leftovers
* Chef Garcelon wraps with information on the hotel’s Daily Bread Food Bank donation
* Melanie and Chef Garcelon visit the Fairmont’s kitchen just in time to see the turkeys come-out of the oven
* Melanie wraps the episode with Chef de Partie, Sean Ashley, who talks about the hotel’s charity work during the holiday season

This episode features Creative Commons music:

“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” by Chance’s End
“Tinselle” by Torley on Piano

Radio Royal York – Episode 9: Honey Harvest

In this episode, host Melanie Coates talks to Executive Chef David Garcelon about the first honey harvest of the season and his culinary plans for the Royal York’s award-winning honey. We then head to the roof where we learn about hives, height and everything else that goes into maintaining a rooftop apiary from Cathy Kozma and Mylee Nordin of the Toronto Beekeeper’s Co-operative. We get a visit from a friendly bee then end the episode with the sounds of the first honey extraction of the season.

Listen to Episode 9

Show Notes:

This September, while the celebrity buzz flows through Toronto’s many Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) film premieres, so too will a Festival Buzz pour forth from the lounges of Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

Beginning September 1, 2009 the hotel heralds the arrival of the 34th annual TIFF opening week with a champagne cocktail featuring rooftop honey under the name: Festival Buzz.

Festival fans will have the opportunity to taste rare spoonfuls of the The Fairmont Royal York’s liquid gold, harvested from the hotel’s 14th floor apiary on August 14, 2009.

The $22 “Festival Buzz” is served in a champagne flute, features MOET champagne, peach puree, honey and freshly picked mint from the  rooftop garden.

The unique cocktail will be served at both EPIC and the Library Bar, both of which are located on the lobby level and will be open until 1 a.m. during the festival.

“FESTIVAL BUZZ” RECIPE

1 oz White Peach Puree
¼ oz Royal York hotel honey
4 oz Moet Champagne

Stir juice and honey in a shaker glass. Pour into a flute glass.  Top with champagne.
 

Radio Royal York – Episode 8: 80th Anniversary

In this episode, host Melanie Coates talks to five former employees of the Fairmont Royal York recently recognized at a special 80th Anniversary luncheon hosted by Heather McCrory, General Manager and Regional V.P., Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, and Craig Reaume, Hotel Manager, The Fairmont Royal York and held at EPIC Restaurant.

Listen to Episode 8

Show Notes:

Ninety-six year-old Vince Wise, a bellboy when the hotel opened in 1929, is a wonderful storyteller and Melanie’s first guest. Tom Gray, the former VP of Sales & Marketing talks about the hazards of commuting to work by bike in the 30′s while Joseph and Catharine Whorms recount how they med — and then married — while working at the Royal York. We close off the podcast with Louis Janetta, the former maitre’d of The Imperial Room and a friend to many of the stars who touched down in Toronto over a four decade period.

This month’s guest have great stories to tell, making for a light and lively trip down memory lane.
 

Radio Royal York – Episode 7: The Rooftop Garden

In this episode, host Melanie Coates visits the Fairmont Royal York’s rooftop garden to talk with gardener Marjorie Mason as she supervises the planting of this year’s herb and vegetable garden.  Marjorie knows her gardening, having grown-up on a market garden farm near Peterborough, Ontario. She shares a number of excellent tips on how to create and maintain a healthy and productive urban garden. We’ll also sit down with John Cordeaux, Director of Food and Beverage at The Fairmont Royal York, for a little history behind the hotel’s famed rooftop garden, and some fond childhood vegetable memories.

Listen to Episode 7

Show Notes:

If you’re in the Toronto area this summer don’t forget to stop by for afternoon tea at Epic Restaurant followed by a complimentary tour of the rooftop garden. Tours take place every Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM and 4 PM and run until September 6, 2009.

Music for this low-fi podcast is from “Shaking Hands” by Robinson, Freitag & The Lonely Trumpet.