#SizzlinwithSAS: Bambi & Franc! Venison Stew Recipe - Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
March 16, 2021


Sue-Ann's Annual Holiday Sip & Savour Open House $45+HST

When: Saturday, December 13, 11 - 5 

Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery

What:  Sue-Ann's Holiday Sip & Savour is back!

We are rolling out the red carpet for a delicious day of holiday flavours! Our Holiday Sip & Savour is the ultimate holiday open house for wine lovers and foodies alike!

Enjoy deluxe wine & food tasting stations on the way -- we are opening our premium wines, pairing them with delicious foods to warm and delight your senses. Plan to spend an amazing hour touring and tasting your way through Sue-Ann's home!

Check out the menu here: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0633/8109/files/Holiday_S_S_2025_menu_PDF.pdf?v=1764954524

Tickets are $45+HST per person. $5 from each ticket sale will be donated to the Howard V. Staff Memorial Fund at the Niagara Community Foundation, supporting St. Catharines Community Care. 

Buy your tickets here: https://www.sue-annstaff.com/collections/events/products/holiday-sip-savor-open-house-2025-45-hst

 

Save the date!

Shortbread Showdown: Sip & Stock Up

When: Saturday, December 20 and Sunday, December 21, 11-5

Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery

What: Stop into the winery and join the fun! Try four mini shortbread & wine pairings and then cast your vote for the best cookie and best pairing! It's a great little break from holiday fuss AND you can stock up on feast-worthy wines while you're at it!

$10 per person, with $5 going to The Howard V. Staff Memorial Fund at the Niagara Community Foundation, supporting community care.

No advance tickets or reservations required, simply show up and pay $10 to participate!

 

Reservations open! Book now!

The Holiday Board: Flight & Bites

When: December 27 & 28, January 3 & 4

Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery

What: The Holiday Board: Flight & Bites is the perfect post-Christmas treat!

You've done all the cooking. You've done all the hosting. You've assembled, you've wrapped, you've done it all. Now it's your turn to sit back and relax! 

Reserve your time now for an elevated wine tasting that will delight your senses, taking place December 27 & 28, January 3 & 4 at Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery. 

Enjoy a seated tasting of four wines, each one perfectly paired with a delectable small bite.

It's like a four-course meal...in miniature!

  • Fancy Farm Girl Flirty Bubbles sparkling rosé with Creamy Brie & Cranberry
  • The Louie Pinot Gris with Duck Rillette with Blueberry Jam & Cornichon
  • The Gritstone Cabernet with "SASsoulet", our deconstructed sausage cassoulet
  • Howard's Icewine Vidal with a White Chocolate Coconut Almond confection

$24.50 per person, reservations highly recommended! Book now: https://www.sue-annstaff.com/products/the-holiday-board-flight-bite-december-27-28-january-3-4

 

In the new year...

Icewine Festival Discovery Pass

When: January 16-18,23-25, 30-February 1, 2026

Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery and other participating Niagara wineries! 

What:  Sip, Savour & Explore Niagara This Winter! Get ready for a self-guided tasting tour through Niagara’s most scenic vineyards! The Icewine Discovery Pass pairs world-class Icewines with spicy, savoury, or sweet bites from inspired local chefs — the perfect way to warm up your winter weekends.

Our offering? Tinga, Tango, Taco! Imagine juicy, spicy Tinga de Pollo (chicken in a smoky tomato/chipotle sauce) tucked into a warm, soft corn tortilla, dressed with lime crema and a cilantro garnish. Paired with our 2018 Vidal Icewine, it’s a divine marriage of spice and ice!

Find all the information and tickets you need here: https://niagarawinefestival.com/icewine-discovery-pass

 


#SizzlinwithSAS: Bambi & Franc! Venison Stew Recipe

Venison Stew in Red Wine

This recipe comes from Arden Vaughn.  She and her family own and manage Lake Land Meats here in West St. Catharines, just a few kilometers away.  This farm raises both venison and, at times, elk plus other culinary delights.  Their retail store is open year-round selling a wide variety of interesting meats and fish like wild boar, quail, trout, and much more.

This recipe was published in “A Year in Niagara” authored by Kathleen Sloan-McIntosh.  Kathleen has been an acquaintance for years and is deeply committed to local product.  This recipe book was published in 2002.  While I have thinned my inventory of cookbooks many times, this one always makes the grade to stay.  I will reproduce it here with the changes I made as seen on the video #SizzlinWithSAS.

FYI:  I have made this recipe several times.  It is a nice change of flavours from a typical winter stew.  My previous renditions used either veal or beef stewing meat.  Those folks who lasted until 2:00am at my housewarming party in 2007 will remember it as the sustenance that got us through dancing until 4:00am!

Ingredients:

3 lbs boneless venison stewing meat, cut into 1” chunks
salt and pepper to taste
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 slices of thick bacon
1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 juniper berries
2 bay leaves (4 bay leaves if they are as old as mine!)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 tablespoons all purpose flour (I used gluten free)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup Cabernet Franc
2 large carrots, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 cup beef broth
3 tablespoons blackberry jam (or red currant or cranberry jelly)

Procedure:

Pat the meat dry.  Season all sides with salt and pepper.  Heat olive oil in a heavy large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Working in batches, sear all sides of the venison removing it from the pan with a slotted spoon when browned.  Reduce the heat to sauté the bacon until soft.  Add in thyme, juniper berries, bay leaves, tomato paste and flour cooking the mixture while stirring until it has thickened, the browned bits have come off the bottom of the pan and the aromas are stating to lift.  Add in carrots and onion cooking briefly.  Stir in the vinegar, beef broth and browned venison.  Stir to completely incorporate the ingredients and return the mixture to a boil.  Either reduce the heat to a simmer or transfer to a 250F oven for 2 hours.  Stir occasionally adding more wine or broth as required.  After 2 hours, remove the bay leaves and stir in blackberry jam.  Adjust seasoning if necessary.  Serve over buttered mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles or use in tacos with tomato and herbs. 


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