A fire pit in the middle of a grassy field.

South Pond Farms: A Rustic and Elegant Affair

By on December 30, 2015

Escaping the hectic climate of the city, I headed to South Pond Farms to immerse myself in its tranquil setting.

I was about to partake in one of their all-day culinary workshops…little did I know that I was going to learn a lot more than just baking and seasoning.

Located in Bethany Hills in the Kawartha Lakes, South Pond Farms creates the perfect venue for unique weddings, farm to-table suppers, corporate and special events. And of course, their culinary workshops.

South Pond Farms is the pride and joy of owner Danielle French. You instantly feel a warm and genuine sense of pride when French talks about her business; and for good reason, considering all the hard work she has put into the business.

Leaving the hustle and bustle of the big city of Toronto, French yearned for her four daughters to have the experience that she had growing up. She wanted to provide them with the beautiful simplicity of yesteryear; where fresh-baked bread is made almost on a daily, where the country house is filled with aromas of meals cooked on the wood stove, and preserved fruits and vegetables are literally the fruits of her labour.

Labour of love

Over the course of several years, French has refurbished a bank barn with a unique silo that now acts as a swanky ‘tasting room’ and groomed the fields that highlight their signature pond; all of which provides an unforgettable backdrop for weddings and other special events. And if that wasn’t enough, she has also started culinary workshops right inside her country home.

South Pond Farms

Restoration of the barn was a testament to what all traditional bank barns looked like – without the animals and hay…word traveled and people came wanting to have special celebrations, suppers in the barn, workshops about local food

The theme for the culinary workshop in which I was participating was entitled ‘Getting Ready For The Holidays’. I was to learn about dishes that are very reminiscent of the holidays: focaccia bread, spiced ginger nuts, tourtiรจre making and seasoned salts for our future turkey dinners.

The workshop was held in French’s home, a very spacious dwelling adorned with all the modern amenities you can think of in an elaborate kitchen, while still conserving a rustic charm with its woodstove and beautiful wood fireplace that kept the house warm as we cooked and ate.

(back to front) Tortiรจre in the making; finishing salt right out of the oven; spiced ginger nuts; Danielle French (owner of South Pond Farm) and Nick Imrie (Bar & Operations Manager at South Pond Farm); beautiful bottles for our finishing salt and fresh focaccia out of the oven.

Not only did we learn the recipes from French’s calm teaching disposition, we were also treated to an amazing country luncheon that was fitting of any beautiful event.

We started off with a great tasting pureed sweet potato and leek soup accompanied by a mixed green salad with pomegranate seeds and pears drizzled with a lemon Dijon vinaigrette. Yet the piรจce de resistance was the ever so rich Brie cheese baked in phyllo that was adorned with walnuts, brown sugar and cranberry compote…sheer decadence!

Decadent lunch at South Pond Farm.

Here at South Pond, when we say homemade, we mean homemade!

Pureed sweet potato and leek soup.

 

Mixed green salad with pomegranate seeds and pears drizzled with a lemon Dijon vinaigrette and a phyllo baked Brie with walnuts, brown sugar and cranberry compote.

The day of cooking and eating went by rather fast…isn’t that what always happens when you are enjoying yourself?!

One of fun things about the workshop is the fact that, not only do you learn how to make great tasting dishes and acquire timeless culinary tips, you also get to take home your creations, and perhaps share them with family and friends…that is if they ever last that long ๐Ÿ˜‰

I had the pleasure of staying at South Pond Farms’ guest cottage. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I know with certainty I didn’t expect to be pampered like I did. Not only was this cottage charming with its fireplace and rustic dรฉcor, it had a roomy built-in sauna and a rain-shower! On top of all this, the view out of the window boasted rolling fields and a nearby forest. This was enough to alleviate all of my ‘stressors’. You can’t pay for this kind of serene feeling in the city!

Guest cottage at South Pond Farm.

Our unique line of products features flavours from the farm. Herbs, spices and fruits grown on the property or neighbouring farms are harvested by hand and composed into blends, one batch at a time.

South Pond Farm’s Services & Events

 

Weddings

Itโ€™s the quintessential fairytale in the countryside. An outdoor wedding ceremony overlooking the pond, followed by a dinner and dance in their stunning restored barn.

Workshops

South Pond Farms offers culinary and creative workshops that combine artisanal food, cooking classes, art, culture and more. Available for small private groups as well as large corporate retreats.

Supper Club (May – September)

A once-a-month Thursday night dinner, featuring a rotating chef preparing four courses and profiling local produce, meats, cheese, bread, beer and wine. Menus are based on whatever is fresh and in season and will be posted online two weeks prior to the dinner. Gluten Free and Vegetarian diets are always welcome.

Concert Series: (January – April)

House Concerts bring professional artists of exceptional talent into the countryside who would otherwise perform only in theatres, concert halls and folk festivals in urban markets. With almost no physical separation between artist and audience, a house concert is an intimate experience for everyone. Casual, comfortable and unpretentious, house concerts are fun and very often, inspirational events that create lasting memories.

Catering

Delivering delicious meals for a party or special occasion. Guests choose one of their themed dinners or use their ร  la carte menu.

The refurbished bank barn hosts many weddings and special events. One of the signature touches of the barn is its unique silo which has been converted into a ‘tasting room’.

I’m not sure if it was the clean crisp country air mixed in with my peaceful sleep, but I woke up with a fresh sense of what country living can do to someone’s viewpoint. With a new appreciation for the work that it is involved in making homemade meals, I discovered a fondness for the simpler pleasures of life that which money cannot buy!

Mother Nature’s role plays heavily at the farm as it sets the tone and ambiance for the events as well as the culinary offerings being utilized; however, it is South Pond’s Farms’ farmstead that defines the classic meaning of home cooking with added notes of decadence.

 

Those who know me know I'm weak for tasty popcorn and @fromfarmtotablecanada
 spoiled me with theirs!! ๐Ÿฟ ๐Ÿ˜‹

Proudly Ontario-made and woman-owned, From Farm to Table Canada has debuted their limited-edition CNE Kettle Corn in collaboration with the Canadian National Exhibition @letsgototheex for the 2024 season.Their beautiful package illustrations captures the fun that we have, when at the CNE ๐ŸŽข.

It's the perfect blend of sweet and salty - my favourite!! ๐Ÿ˜

They are available in two sizes: Family Bag and Grab & Go. Sold online as well as in retail chains and many independent stores.

This must-have snack for the summer is available until Labour Day. 

Get yours today and enjoy!!๐Ÿฟ๐Ÿฟ
A couple of evenings ago, I had the pleasure and honour of being invited by my alma mater, @lecordonbleuottawa to witness Chef @antonyannick70 be awarded France's L'Ordre du mรฉrite agricole, the highest civilian honour from the embassy @franceaucanada ๐Ÿ˜ƒ

This distinction recognizes the contributions of Chef Yannick to promote French culture in Canada and Ottawa specifically - through his work as a chef and instructor at Le Cordon Bleu Institute in Ottawa. 

Special moments of the evening included Ambassador of France to Canada, Michel Miraillet sharing with guests the numerous accomplishments that Chef Yannick Anton has accomplished over the years. Simply remarkable!!๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘
A very touching and inspiring moment came when Chef Yannick Anton gave praise and gratitude to his mentors, who helped him attain his dream in the culinary industry. He also reminded the graduating class of chefs to always have a vision and to never let it go.๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿณ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿผโ€๐Ÿณ๐Ÿ˜

And it wouldn't be a celebration without some tasty treats that exude French flare! They even had chocolate graduation hats - very cute and apropo ๐ŸŽ“๐ŸŽ“

Bravo Chef!!๐Ÿ˜Š
Muy Caliente!!๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐ŸŒž๐ŸŒž

With the insanely hot weather, nothing is more refreshing than this tasty Brazilian lemonade with some @bacardi Gold
Rum for the win!!๐Ÿคฉ๐Ÿ˜‹

And let me tell you, a pitcher was made...as it's THAT delicious!!

At this rate, I will finally start to enjoy the summer heat...providing I have my 'special' lemonade!๐Ÿ˜‰

Cheers!

#foodblogger #travelblogger #cocktails #cocktailporn #brazilianlemonade #braziliandrink #summerdrinks #bacardi #rum #summerheat #summerheatwave #lemonadeforadults #thefoodteasedrinks #ifwtwa1 #tmac #enjoylife #enjoythemoment
After a long day, a rich and tasty avocado, egg and bacon salad was the way to go!!๐Ÿฅ‘๐Ÿฅš๐Ÿฅ“๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜‹

And the piรจce de rรฉsistance, triple-cream Brie with @artisinbakery baguette - the perfect match for such a meal. 

At this rate, indulgence should be my nickname ๐Ÿ˜‰

#foodblogger #foodporn #travelblogger #foodphotography #indulgence #longday #avocado #triplecream #baguette #frenchcuisine #enjoylife #luxelife #thefoodteaseeats #thefoodtease #ifwtwa1 #fwt #tmac
Sophistication, opulent decor, and beautiful luxury desserts - this is @delyseesottawa ๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿฎ
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Read The Food Tease column in the Spring/Summer issue of @luxeottawamagazine on how Delysees's Creative Director, Fred Naggar, successfully left awe-inspiring footprints in the fashion world to embark on a new adventure with his wife - the world of high-end desserts.๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿ˜
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Sweets for the sweets... Enjoy!
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#foodblogger #foodporn #travelblogger #dessert #dessertsofinstagram #luxury #luxurydesserts #delysees #creativedirector #parisienne #frenchsweets #frenchdesserts #published #thefoodteaseeats #ifwtwa1 #travelmediaca #tmac
Happy Easter, everyone!!๐Ÿฃ ๐Ÿฐ
Enjoying my family's Easter tradition of our colourful egg fight...I didn't win, but there's always next year ๐Ÿ˜‰
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#foodblogger #travelblogger #foodporn #easter #eastereggs #easterdecor #familytradition #annualtradition #europeanstyle #potofgold #familytime #thefoodteaseeats #thefoodteasetravel
Friday night, I had the privilege of attending the 2024 Canadian Culinary Championships - Mystery Wine Challenge - People's Choice Award๐Ÿฅ‡๐Ÿฅ‡@greatkitchenparty
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Congratulations to all the chefs involved in this intense competition. The chefs needed to create a dish to pair with the mystery wine. Each chef was given a tricky budget of $550 for the 250 guests. I was witnessing creativity at its best!!๐Ÿ˜‹
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The winning dish๐Ÿฅ‡ (centered in the middle of the photo) was created by JP Dublado: Red Deer Resort and Casino, Red Deer AB
Dish: beet & soy cured albacore tuna - ponzu gel - tomato water - puffed wild rice - beet green oil
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Amazing talent from all the chefs as they paired with the mystery wine (a 2021 Lailey Vineyard Zweigelt)๐Ÿท๐Ÿท
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#foodblogger ##foodgram #foodcompetition #travelblogger #CCC2024 #greatkitchenparty #peopleschoice #peopleschoiceawards #underpressure #foodandwine #underbudget #onbudget #culinarycompetition #thefoodteasedrinks #thefoodteaseeats #ifwtwa1 #tmac
Planning for your BIG wedding day๐Ÿ’ and looking for something different than the traditional bachelorette party? ๐ŸŽ‰๐ŸŽ‰
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Then you need to read my solo Montreal getaway article featured in the latest issue of @ottawawedding magazine.
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Special thanks to @montreal for the beautiful experiences.
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Amongst the amazing activities:
โ— High Tea at the Ritz-Carlton ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿฅ‚
โ— Pampering at the Scandinave Spa ๐Ÿ’†๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธand at Le Germain Hotel 
โ— Visiting the beautiful light show at the Botanical Gardens โš˜๏ธโœจ๏ธ
โ— Culinary experiences at the Foxy restaurant and discovering local restaurants during a food tour๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿ˜‹
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Solo getaway or with a friend or two, any reason to visit and experience Montrรฉal is a good one!! ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿค—
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With its countless cultural activities and experiences, one can easily enjoy this beautiful city! And let's not forget their food scene... that alone is reason enough to visit!!๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜‹
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I think it's time for you to discover, and for some, REDISCOVER Montreal! ๐Ÿคฉ๐Ÿคฉ
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#travelblogger #foodblogger #travelgram
#mtlmoments #mtl #mtlfoodies #published #presstrip #passportready
#alwaysexploring #travellikealocal #localbusiness #ifwtwa1 #tmactravel #thefoodteasetravel #exploremontreal #touristattractions #solo #solotravel

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