Sloane Tea Company has added four new flavours, the first we will highlight is Almond Truffle. From the web site: With deeply rich notes of dark chocolate and Brazilian cocoa, this masterfully blended black tea is both a treat, and a statement. With sophisticated truffle notes and a hint of almond, this tea provides for a truly refined finish. This makes quite an interesting tea, to go along with their already amazing flavours in their premium line. The other additions are crimson berry, jasmine pink lemonade and cocoa chai chai.

Crabtree and Evelyn have introduced a new scent, Tarocco Orange. Made with antioxidant and vitamin C rich Tarocco Orange extract, combined with citrus and green herb. We presently have the full line – come in and sample! Our selection is quite extensive – and we keep adding more! You will find all of the scents, including those for men. As well, we have many, if not most of the items for each line.

Our premium tea line from Hoda at Sloane Tea Company offers the best classic and blended teas available! With a wide range, from black to green to oolong, as well as flavoured teas, tisanes and rooibos, there is sure to be several to satisfy both the tea connoisseur and anyone who just enjoys an excellent cup. Earl Grey Classic is a blend of high quality black tea, cornflower petals and natural bergamot. Hoda describes the flavour of the tea: “Golden amber liquor, medium-bodied, velvety smooth with a lengthy and creamy vanilla linger.” Steep the tea for 4 to 6 minutes using one teaspoon for 6oz. of water (at about 90 degrees C)  

An amazing line of products for the kitchen. Stress less from Trudeau makes everyday tasks easier – from opening cans to cutting pizza! Designed for ease of use, the products are helpful for those with problems gripping, yet the features make anyone appreciate the concepts used. The can opener leaves no sharp edges, and the cutter does not touch the food inside the can. The pizza cutter is beveled on both sides so one pass of the wheel is all you need. And cleanup is a breeze! Even the salt and pepper grinders are fantastic. Very little effort is needed for grinding due to the gearing used. And the wine bottle opener includes a foil cutter in the base, and removes the cork in very easy actions. Come into the store for a demonstration!

We now carry Falafel chips – quickly becoming a favourite item in the shop. Gluten and dairy free, these organic chips come in two varieties, regular and spicy. Great with hummus, they are high in fiber and with only 80gm of sodium in a serving, not overly salty. We are sampling on most Saturdays through November and December, so be sure to try them when you are in the store.

  Crabtree & Evelyn have added an exciting new fragrance to their line. Inspired by the journey of early English Explorers in search of the fabled Himalayan blue poppy, Himalayan Blue blends citrus, ginger, pink pepper berries with base notes that include smokey Lapsang Souchong tea, Sandlewood and exotic woods. Available now at The Shop For All Reasons in hand therapy, eau de toilette, body lotion and shower gel,.

The New York International Gift Fair was amazing! Besides being a good excuse to visit NYC, the show introduced us to new sources we don’t see at the regular shows in Toronto. What is more exciting is finding ones that are actually from Canada! Stinson Studio is a great example. Located in Tamworth Ontario, Stinson Studio is family owned and operated since 1982. They create extremely interesting salad bowls and art pieces using woods from eastern Canada. The woods they choose show fantastic character in their grain and the shapes they create are quite artistic making great attention grabbing salad bowls, both for personal use and for gift giving. They also create pieces from burled wood that make a statement in any decor. An important aspect of their operating principle is the sustainability of the woods they acquire, ensuring that they use as much of the raw material as possible for multiple bowls and boards. We have just received our first shipment, and we are very impressed with the quality of the work the Stinson family performs. Be sure to see the pieces in the shop next time you drop in.

We are excited to be re-introducing Bibelot Designs into the shop. Bibelot Designs is Christine McGrath, who moved from jewellery design to creating “a line of fresh, modern and sophisticated home accents using glass, textiles and wood veneer.” Her pieces, especially the castle frames, were always popular items in the shop. Her present collection includes many of the favourites that we carried before as well as several new designs that make wonderful gifts and additions to your decor. Her pieces are all made in Niagara on the Lake, where she keeps her studio with her husband Reid. It is great to have their pieces back in the shop, another great addition to our wide selection of Canadian products we are proud to carry.

We are now introducing “My Favourite Fudge” from Marmora Ontario into our chocolate and candy selection. Makers of specialty buttercream fudge, they have a great variety of flavours and great packaging for gift giving. Novelties include mini cups and fudge pops, sized for quick snacking on delicious fudge!

They are joining Nudge Fudge (Nudge… Nudge… Here’s the Fudge), our longtime supplier of nut free fudge. Remember with autumn comes their wonderful pumpkin fudge, made with real pumpkin and tastes just like fresh pie!  

This is a common question asked as customers try to choose a product from our large selection of hot sauces. The answer is not that simple, yet at the same time is not complicated. The perception of heat is based on the threshold limit of the person eating the sauce. To some, popular grocery store products are very hot, but generally these are found at the bottom of the heat scale. On the other extreme, some people can easily consume a liberal amount of the hottest peppers known to the chili head community. Their tolerance has been built to such a level. So, basically, the heat level is fairly subjective. Keeping that in mind, there are many ways of comparing the heat between products. The most commonly used scale ranks sauces from 0 to 10, with 10 being the hottest. You will usually see the extreme sauces rate as “off the scale” or 10+++. I have found these ratings to be pretty reliable both within a product line and even, in most cases, between product lines. There is a more scientific scale used, referred to the Scoville Scale created about one hundred years ago by Wilbur Scoville. This scale runs from 0 to 16 000 000 – from not spicy at all to pure capsaicin (the actual extract from chili that creates the heat). The number refers to the amount of dilution needed to essentially neutralize the heat. Your own tolerance level increases the more you use these sauces. It is important to start at an intensity you can handle, and ratchet up the heat as you become accustomed to that level. It is probably best to avoid overstepping your comfort level; going too fast tends to ruin your meal and might keep you from wanting to progress. However, I have personally found the old adage, “no pain, no gain’, applicable to the learning art of chili appreciation. At the shop, we carry a wide range of products, from beginners “Sauce for Sissies” to extreme sauces such as Dave’s limited Ghost Pepper reserve, Blair’s 3am and Black Mamba. Keep in mind that the sauce not only adds piquant to the meal, it also adds flavour. The type of pepper used as well as the blend of other ingredients creates a condiment that becomes integral to the tastes you are adding to your menu.

Woodstock Chimes was started in 1979 by Gary Kvistad using his background as a highly regarded percussionist. His goal was to tune each tube of the chime to a different note from a scale based on the theme that inspires the particular chime’s design. This creates a chime that not only looks great, but creates music as the wind passes through and around. All of Woodstock’s chimes are of top quality and have a very artistic presence. Sizes range from the tiny pocket chimes to the very impressive windsinger line that culminates with the grandeur of the 88″ King David. Thier products are separated into several lines. Asli Arts consists of capiz and bamboo chimes and includes many traditional and whimsical designs. The Encore line is a wide range of chimes, with various colours, sizes and materials with affordable pricing. The Signature line uses heavier gauge tubes to create longer lasting notes. Every chime is of high quality and compliments any environment that it is hung. Inspiration for the designs comes from many sources. Eastern themes include several chimes based on Feng Shui. As well chakra chimes have been very popular. Songs from various cultures inspire several of the chimes, including European, Asian, and Tropical themes and scales. Garden chimes add artistic touches to any garden with interesting shapes and subtle sounds and designs. We have a large selection of Woodstock chimes in the shop, representing all of the design aspects incorporated in the product line. Feel free to browse through our Windchime room and listen to the various chimes on display.

There are many great ‘made in Canada’ collections that you have asked us to expand in the Shop. One of these is CedarMountain’s “Lost & Found” art blocks made on Saltspring Island,British Columbia. This picturesque 183 square kilometre island with a population of 10,500 is filled with artists of all kinds. We met with Suzanne, one of the co-owners, who introduced us to the new art blocks. They have added so many fabulous designs, it was difficult to choose – and at such a great price! By expanding our selection, we needed to dedicate a whole wall to feature the large art blocks and a secondary space for the smaller sized ones. Ask us about how to create interesting arrays for your home. We have some great ideas on ways to combine groups of various blocks! More “shop news” to share soon.

 

On your next visit to The Shop you will notice we have re-arranged our departments! We have created more space for Crabtree & Evelyn, highlighting the full range of scents and gifts. Our selection includes every scent, mens items for Father’s Day, household items such as drawer liners and room sprays, gift sets and sampler sets. The Shop’s Baby section has also been re-arranged allowing you to easily browse through a great collection of Hatley, Bizoux Bizoux, Kaloo, Parade Organics as well as other items. We thank you for visiting our web site and shopping with us in Streetsville, and wish you an awesome summer!

This year our BBQ sauce selection has grown! While we still have your old favourites, Stonewall, Brickstone and Roothams, we have added and expanded several others. Wicked Gourmet from Oakville has a great line from spicy to tangy, as well as their famous Steak Rub. We carry the full line of Amiel’s Island Fire hot sauces as well as their two BBQ Sauces. They come from PEI and make a great addition to our large Canadian content!

Wildly Delicious sauces get their inspiration both internationally and from right here in Canada. As well, they have great dry rubs and flavourings for burgers, chicken and whatever else you are preparing. From Kentucky we have the BourbonQ line. Known for their flavourful bourbon inspired sauces, they also have a range of hot sauces for chicken and ribs. See what we are sampling on Saturdays! Can you take the heat from our hot sauces, or wouild you like a milder sweeter sauce?

Just in time for Mother’s Day, Crabtree & Evelyn is now available at The Shop For All Reasons. We are carrying the full range of Wisteria products, some are expected in the next week!

Our Crabtree & Evelyn line is growing every month. If there products you would like us to add that we don’t already carry, tell us and we will make sure to include it in our next order.

Our 2012 Spring Jewellery Show is scheduled for Sunday April 15th from 1 until 4! We have received many new pieces from our artists – (Anne Marie Chagnon’s new pieces are amazing!) – and have added a couple new lines. Make sure to mark the date on your calendar. Kathy from Katz Meow and Leah Bazian with her fantastic scarves and jewellery will be in the shop Bring your friends and anyone who enjoys sampling our gourmet foods. You can try our new BBQ and hot sauces – take the challenge and see how much heat you can handle! Our new lines include Blair’s Hot Sauces, chips and Salsas, BourbonQ from Kentucky and Amiel’s Fire Island from P.E.I..

With the warmer weather, hummingbirds are migrating early this year. Some have already been spotted in Canada. You can check this site for a continuously updated map of Canada and the U.S. showing reported sightings. So you might want to consider getting your feeders ready soon!  

Spring is officially here, even though it has been around in spirit for the last couple of weeks! The birds at your feeders are becoming even more plentiful. Their nourishment requirements change over the year, which is why we carry several seasonal blends that are adjusted to optimize the seed selection for the birds immediate needs. As well we always have a great selection on blends and straight seeds – all premium quality. We recommend the use of Brome Squirrel Busters – the best squirrel free feeders we know of.

Seasons Urban Blend

This formula is specifically blended for birds in urban residential areas. We have considered established neighbourhoods and new developments when we were doing research to create Seasons Urban Bird. As the name states, it is seasonally adjusted. Each of the four seasons, we change the formula of over 30 different ingredients to accommodate the needs of birds at different times of the year. Additionally, we have accounted for the fact that birds migrate so each season the formula accommodates the birds that should be in Ontario urban areas at that particular time of year. Seasons Urban Bird is the most nutritionally perfect formula made for city birds in the world. This means that your birds will have higher protein in the spring and summer for muscle growth in young birds. In the colder months, we provide higher carbohydrates so birds can generate warmth. Calcium is added during egg production seasons and grit is added during months where grit is difficult or dangerous to find.    

The Shop For All Reasons is your source for hot products! We now carry Blair’s hot death sauces as well as Amiel’s Maritime Micro Brewery sauces from P.E.I. Add these to the hot BBQ sauces from Pappy’s, Wicked Gourmet and Stonewall, and we have quite a selection. Check our website for recipes and information in the coming weeks.  

From Crabtree and Evelyn the new scent to start the year is Avocado, Olive and Basil in The Body and Hand Care Collection. Made from the highest quality natural ingredients and paraben free, these products will be added to our expanding Crabtree and Evelyn collection. We can also create specialty gift baskets highlighting Crabtree and Evelyn products. Let us know about your favorite scents and products as we continue to add to our collection.