Food & Wine Pairings for Hanukkah

Epicurious

Celebrate “Thanksgivukkah” with the perfect wine pairings

This year, for the first time in over 100 years, Hanukkah falls on the same day as Thanksgiving, creating one super holiday for Jewish Americans that has been dubbed “Thanksgivukkah.” Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that lasts for eight days and nights, celebrating the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem during a period of unrest and rebellion around 160 BC. Hanukkah involves many rituals and one of the richest, literally, is the food of Hanukkah: latkes, doughnuts, and pretty much anything else fried in oil. Foods fried in oil are typically served during Hanukkah because they are a reminder of the oil that miraculously kept the Temple menorah alight for eight days. Because most of the food is so rich, lighter wines with crisp acidity often work well to cleanse the palate and keep the meal from feeling too heavy. We offer some of our favorite pairings with these traditional dishes below. Happy Hanukkah! Classic Latkes: These delicious golden potato pancakes prove that there are few things that are not improved by a hot oil bath. Pair them with a high-acid wine to cut through the oily texture and rich flavor, like a sparkling wine or sauvignon blanc. LA MARCA Prosecco non-vintage(Veneto, Italy) $14 VILLA MARIA Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2012 (Marlborough, New Zealand) $18 Gingered Sweet Potato Latkes: A lot is going on in this dish--richness, sweetness, and spice--so the wine pairing can be tricky, but a crisp Alsatian or Austrian riesling should do the trick. DOMAINE ZIND HUMBRECHT Riesling 2012 (Alsace, France) $25  EGON MÜLLER “Scharzhof” Riesling QbA 2012 (Mosel, Germany) $25 Red Wine Braised Beef Brisket: Choose a wine you like on its own to cook the brisket in, and then use that same wine, or a similar one, to serve with the dish. Bold, fruity cabernet sauvignons or zinfandels won’t lead you astray. ROBERT BIALE “Grande Vineyard” Zinfandel 2011 (Napa Valley, California) $45  MOLLYDOOKER “Gigglepot” Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 (Coonawarra, Australia) $49  Sufganiyot: These deep-fried doughnuts, often filled with jelly or custard, are rich, sweet, and just the right way to end a meal (or start it!). It’s best to pair desserts with wines that are as sweet or sweeter than the dessert. Sweetness in food decreases perceived sweetness in wine, so that a fruity sauvignon blanc may seem harsh and bitter with dessert. We recommend something like a sweet Champagne or a late harvest riesling. TAITTINGER “Nocturne” Sec non-vintage (Champagne, France) $60  HERMAN J. WIEMER Late Harvest Riesling 2012 (Finger Lakes, New York) $27  www.teambluesky.ca

2 deposits on a home purchase offer

Mark Weisleder

As the GTA housing market remains strong, some buyers are losing their deposits when they have a change of heart about the purchase after seeing the home inspection.

Here’s what is happening:

As the average price of a house climbs, many offers are accompanied by substantial deposits, in some cases $25,000 or more. The offer is conditional on the buyer being satisfied with the inspection and in some cases, the buyer is unhappy enough to walk away and ask for their money back. The sellers are upset, because if other buyers hear about what happened, they will wonder what is wrong with the house. The seller can’t answer because they didn’t see the inspection report.

In general, the courts have indicated that buyers must act honestly, reasonably and in good faith. Unfortunately this will have to be proven in court, which means lawyers, legal fees and the potential for the deposit to be withheld for up to two years.

Sellers are not entitled to a copy of the inspection report unless the parties agreed to it. In my opinion, sellers should always include a contract clause that says if the buyer wants to negotiate a reduction, or cancel the deal because of problems in the inspection report, then the buyer must give the seller a copy of the report. This will give the seller the opportunity to check the problems for themselves and be able to explain it to any future buyer.

If the buyer does not conduct the home inspection at all, or perhaps brings in an unqualified person to conduct the inspection, then I believe that these might be examples of not acting reasonably and in good faith. It would then be difficult for a buyer to try and cancel the agreement and argue that they acted in good faith. That’s why it is so important that buyers always use qualified home inspectors.

In a seller’s market, many buyers decide not to include a home inspection condition so they can provide a “clean offer” to the seller. This usually happens when there is a bidding war.

But there are other ways to protect buyers in these circumstances. For example, you can arrange for a home inspection before you bring your offer. Most sellers will be agreeable to this. You are only asking for trouble if you don’t conduct a home inspection before you decide to buy.

In addition, if a buyer is not in a bidding war, consider two deposits, a small one when the deal is accepted, and a larger once you are satisfied with all of your conditions. That way, if you are not satisfied, there is not much of a deposit that will be worth fighting over.

It is very important for buyers to understand all your legal rights and obligations relating to conditions before you bring any offer to buy a home.

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Transit driving real estate investment decisions

Eric Atkens

Being close to good schools, parks and shopping have long been key to home buyers choosing a neighbourhood.

And now access to commuter trains, light rail or subways is quickly moving up the list when people choose a place to live, according to a new report on the Canadian real estate market.

Clogged highways and rush-hour traffic are adding to commuting times and helping to spur a move away from the car-focused suburbs.

"With challenging infrastructure in all major Canadian centres coupled with the urbanization trend, there will be a continued demand for retail, office and residential space in our urban centres where there is easy access to mass transit," said Lori-Ann Beausoleil, a partner at consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers, which wrote the report with Urban Land Institute.

Urbanization and immigration are expected to increase Toronto's population by more than 90,000 in 2013.

Vancouver and Montreal are both forecast to gain about 40,000 people each, according to the Conference Board of Canada.

"The choice to live in cities is no longer economic, but has now become cultural," the report said.

Smaller cities are also growing, as aging baby boomers tire of shovelling snow on long driveways.

Younger people are enticed to move for better jobs and a vibrant nightlife.

Titled Emerging Trends In Real Estate, the report is aimed at developers and real estate investors.

It outlines the prospects for office and retail spaces as well as condos, houses and rental developments.

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Strength of Canadian Housing Market Surprises Economists

Globe & Mail

It’s increasingly looking like the strength that Canada’s housing market has been showing in recent months has staying power.

 

Economists have been surprised by the degree to which home sales have bounced back from the pounding they took in the summer of 2012, when Finance Minister Jim Flaherty tightened the mortgage insurance rules.

 

Part of the reason the market has been so resilient since July is that consumers have been jumping in because they feared that mortgage rates would be rising. Many economists have been forecasting a drop in sales once that phenomenon plays out. Most experts say it won’t be until the end of the year that we’ll really know whether the recent momentum is more than a short-term blip.

 

The latest data, for October, will be released Friday by the Canadian Real Estate Association. The preliminary numbers from local real estate boards suggest it was another strong month, on the heels of September’s 18.2-per-cent year-over-year increase in sales.

 

“Canada’s real estate market looks like it has its mojo back,” Bank of Montreal economist Benjamin Reitzes said in a research note. “Existing home sales are expected to rise 12 per cent year-over-year in October, continuing the firming momentum established in the summer months.

 

“The persistent strength suggests that it’s more than just sales brought forward due to anticipation of higher rates,” he added. “In fact, mortgage rates have shifted lower in recent weeks, reinforcing that rates aren’t likely to move materially higher any time soon.”

 

It should be noted that the market was in a slump this time last year, making it easier for the year-over-year comparisons to be strong. But this spring economists were expecting home sales in 2013 to come in below 2012, and that’s no longer the case.

 

And new home construction continues to be stronger than expected, suggesting builders think the market still has legs, although economists continue to caution that the pace of building should come down.

 

Economists were expecting builders to start construction on 190,000 new homes on an annualized basis last month, but the actual number came in at 198,000.

But some say that may not last.

 

“This renewed strength in the housing market is not expected to continue for much longer, as many of the largest markets in Canada are overbuilt,” Toronto-Dominion Bank research associate Sonny Scarfone wrote in a note. “Demographically supported levels of new home construction are an estimated 175,000 units.”

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How low should your drapes go?

by Judith Taylor

"How long should full-length drapes be?" People want to know if their drapes should puddle, break at the floor or hover just above it. These variations are left over from a time before central heating and air conditioning, when people put up drapes for protection from the elements more than for light and privacy control. Today, far from hanging an animal pelt over the entry to a cave, we have stylistic options to consider.

Often in design there are no right or wrong answers. Either you like it or you don't. But here are some guidelines to help you think about your choices so you pick the curtain length that is right for you.

Driggs Designs

Hovering

For a practical, casual look, leave just a finger width of space between the floor and the hem of the drapes. Dust won't gather, and the hem will stay clean. This is a great length for the family room or any high-traffic area. It's also a great length if your pets shed, or your drapes sit next to the backyard patio door, where dirt is dragged in on a regular basis.

Ken Gutmaker Architectural Photography

Breaking

For a stylish, tailored look, have a slight break at the bottom. A break is a fold or bend above the hem, which is created when the fabric is longer than required to reach the floor. Here, an inch or two of extra length creates a slight break.

Lisa Ferguson Interior Design

Notice how a slight break can work with contrasting banding to create a custom look. These made-to-measure details are the hallmarks of custom professional design. An extra ½ inch can be just enough for a stylish break.

DME Construction

Brushing 

For a no-fuss fit in a gracious room, hang drapes to just brush the floor. This length is often used in modern homes where crisp simplicity is preferred, but it also complements traditional decor.

This can be a tricky length to master, however, because any inconsistencies in floor and ceiling (more common than you might think) will be clearly revealed. Quality professional drapery hardware will allow for slight adjustments to be made during installation to camouflage any irregularity caused by uneven floors or ceilings.

Carla Aston | Interior Designer

Puddling

Puddling goes beyond a simple break. It moves into a sense of excess. It can look very formal or just the opposite, depending on the fabric.

For a relaxed feel, use a soft, gauzy fabric, which won't look too fussy if left a bit unkempt at the bottom. Much like the difference between a break in faded jeans versus a break in suit pants or dress trousers, one kind of fabric will look casual, another stylish. Fabric and style work hand in hand here.

Liz Williams Interiors

If you're using silk, leave a couple of extra inches and add elegant hardware for a formal and dressy look.

Tommy Chambers Interiors, Inc.

For an opulent look, really push the length overboard. This method is most often used to reinforce a sense of history in a traditional or historical home.

Rick Hoge

Deep puddling here reinforces the formal setting. This is not a low-maintenance solution; you need to arrange the excess fabric to sit just the way you like it. Also, it can be a tripping and slipping hazard.

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Small fall chores can mean big savings!

Shorter days, cooler nights, it's time to do some preventive maintenance around your house.

It won't take weeks or months and doesn't have to cost a fortune. But if you take care of the basics, you may save yourself hundreds of dollars in repairs. Here are some tips to help with this process.

Check and install new weatherstripping as needed. Why waste hundreds of dollars on heating bills when about $50 will cover the cost of weatherstripping most homes? Check attic insulation. Many homes have insufficient insulation and draft-proofing, both sources of heat loss. An average home should have between R-28 (eight inches) to R-50 (16.75 inches) of insulation in the attic, more in colder climates.

Caulk gaps on the exterior of windows and doors, especially stucco homes with trimless windows. If you have single-pane glass windows, install storm windows or upgrade to new energy-efficient windows. Clean gutters and install gutter guards to protect from heavy rain damage and overflowing gutters due to plugging from leaves and needles.

Change your furnace filter at least four times a year. I prefer the pleated type furnace filters as opposed to washable furnace filters. Look for the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating on the filter; the higher the rating, the better the filtration. In winter when your furnace is working overtime, a clean filter will help it operate efficiently as possible. Furnace ducts should be cleaned every three to five months, two if you have any animals. Your furnace should be inspected by a licensed gas-fitter once a year. Have this done in the early fall to avoid the rush when the weather turns cold.

Shut off outside faucets and drain back water to prevent frozen pipes or install frostfree hose bibs.

Dolomite lime your lawn and add some fall-winter fertilizer. This will keep it healthy during the winter. Drain and store your garden hose. Leaving hoses out all winter will cause freezing and may crack the hose. Check roof shingles, flashings and chimney bricks for leaks.

If you have a wood-burning fireplace, have it cleaned. Last winter's fires will have left a lot of creosote behind. Be sure to have the cleaning done before you start using the fireplace. If you are not using your fireplace, consider installing a Draftstopper, an inflatable polyurethane "pillow" designed to seal the fireplace when it is not being used, reducing heat loss. Close off foundation vents in crawl spaces to prevent heat loss from your home by plugging the vents with rigid foam insulation. Check your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms with the test button and change the batteries. Any alarm older than five years should be replaced.

Empty gas from lawn mowers or put in gas additive for easier startup in the spring.

Depending on where you live, stock up on safety salt, snow shovels, windshield washer fluid, ice scrapers and antifreeze.

Another important note as we get older: let the young folks shovel the snow!

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