Radio Royal York – Episode 13: Afternoon Tea At The Library Bar

Afternoon Tea, a time honoured tradition at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York Hotel, has returned to The Library Bar and we’re here to celebrate it with an episode steeped in tradition.

Join host Melanie Coates for another behind-the-scenes look at the workings of a grand hotel as she speaks with one of our favourite servers, Joseph Nutter, about the pleasures and practicalities of Afternoon Tea.

Al Cardenas, Senior Tea Consultant, joins Melanie for a world tour of tea production and introduces listeners to the five new teas created specifically for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts by The Metropolitan Tea Company.

The musical backdrop to all this tea-licious talk is “Tahiti Trot, Op. 16″, Dmitri Shostakovich’s 1927 orchestration of “Tea for Two” from the musical No, No, Nanette.

Click below to listen to or download this episode of the Radio Royal York podcast (MP3; 17 min 48 sec).

Listen to Episode 13

Show Notes:

* Melanie intros the episode to the sounds of “Tahiti Trot” by Dmitri Shostakovich
* Melanie sits down in The Library Bar with server, Joseph Nutter, to talk about Afternoon Tea, a tradition at The Fairmont Royal York since 1929
* Joseph provides some tips for enjoying Afternoon Tea at the Royal York, including making conversation a big part of the experience
* Joseph explains the formality of the service and what’s included on the menu
* Melanie asks, “What’s with the tiers on the tea turret?” — a tongue-twisting question we’ve all been dying to ask
* Joseph advises listeners to work their way from the bottom of the tea turret to the top, and to not forget the white gloves
* Melanie is joined by Al Cardenas, Senior Tea Consultant at The Metropolitan Tea Company
* Melanie asks Al where the tea plant originated — and what makes a tea plant tea
* Al provides a detailed explanation of where tea originated and the many characteristics of classic and contemporary tea
* Al describes how to pair tea and food and suggests the following combination for Afternoon Tea: black tea with the savory course and white tea with the dessert course
* Al gives Melanie some preparation tips, which include using a slightly cooled water when making green tea
* Al talks about the new Health and Wellness Teas created specifically for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, including: Fairmont Energy, High-Antioxidant, Equilibrium, Digestive and Tranquility Tea
* A short musical interlude ensues then Melanie wraps this episode with an invitation to tea at The Library Bar.

Traditional Afternoon Tea is served Saturdays from 12:30 PM to 4:30 PM. and Sundays from 12:30 PM to 5:00 PM in The Library Bar of The Fairmont Royal York Hotel. The cost is $35 per person and includes: a fine selection of premium Fairmont loose leafs teas, seasonal Berry Cocktail, traditional finger sandwiches (lobster, smoked salmon, cucumber, Manchego, brie), a selection of pastries (pastry swans, clafoutis, chocolate cakes, madelines) and house-baked Royal York cranberry scones with Devon cream and preserves.

To reserve Afternoon Tea in advance, call the Library Bar at (416) 860-5050 or festive@fairmont.com.

Weekend afternoon tea service also comes with a stay-over package, The Royal Winter Warmth Package, that features tea service, one night in a deluxe room, valet parking and a luxury tea keepsake from now until April 25, 2011.

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Radio Royal York – Episode 12: Robbie Burns Day at the Library Bar

The Royal Stinger will run past midnight and the haggis will be sliding as The Fairmont Royal York’s Library Bar marks Robbie Burns Day from 12 Noon through to 1 AM on Tuesday, January 25, 2011.

In this episode, host Melanie Coates talks with Outlets Director, Jimson Bienenstock, one of the organizers behind The Library Bar’s Robbie Burns Day. Senior Sous Chef, Andrew Court, reads one of Burns’ best-loved poems. And to start the episode off, a traditional Scottish reel, “The Little Cascade”.

For a list of the single malt Scotch whiskeys stocked by The Library Bar, right-click on the link to download.

Click below to listen to or download this episode of the Radio Royal York podcast (MP3; 9 min 50 sec).

Listen to Episode 12

Show Notes:

* Melanie intros the podcast to the sound of bagpipes being tuned and invites listeners to download the hotel’s haggis recipe from the Website.
* Melanie sits down with The Fairmont Royal York’s Director of Outlets, Jimson Bienenstock, to talk about Robbie Burns Day in the Library Bar.
* Jimson tells us why he prefers his Scotch “straight up” and notes that most Scotch drinkers prefer a slightly chilled Scotch “on the rocks”.
* Melanie gets in a grammar lesson by asking about the correct plural usage of the word “scotch”.
* Jimson talks about some of the more popular premium blends available at The Library Bar, including Johnny Walker Blue, Johnny Walker Black and Johnny Walker Red.
* Jimson notes that the bar also stocks several hard-to-find single malts, including Glen Breton from the Glenora Distillery in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
* Jimson describes the difference between blended and single malt scotch and talks about how each is produced.
* Melanie asks Jimson whether he can predict if someone is a scotch or vodka drinker.
* Jimson talks about what’s on the menu for Robbie Burns Night at The Library Bar.  He provides a thorough — and should we say appetizing — description of haggis and what ingredients can be found inside.
* Jimson recommends pairing haggis with a beer and finishing with a single malt chaser.
* Melanie and Jimson close with a toast.
* Musical interlude: “The Little Cascade”.
* Senior Sous Chef, Andrew Court, reads a Robbie Burns poem, “A Red, Red Rose”.
* Melanie wraps-up the episode with a plea to listeners to “try the haggis”. She will … on January 25th … in The Library Bar.

This episode features bagpipe sound effects from SoundSnap.

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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.

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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

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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.
 

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