COVER STORY
In the early-2000s , we would pop into roadside fruit and vegetable stands every so often , but that was pretty much the extent of our culinary experience of the County . Necessary provisions like food and drink were always packed ahead of time as decent restaurants were few and far between .
As far as we were concerned , we were not concerned : The sleepy County towns we would cruise through , always with some sort of inflatable water toy strapped to the roof , were perfect if you wanted to hit the B & B scene . For us , though , the big draw was the chance to splash around on the beaches of Sandbanks Provincial Park and to relax on , roll down or slide down the golden , sandy dunes .
The truth be told , I wish my early memories of Prince Edward County spurred some kind of long-range forecasting capability . I wish I ’ d predicted that the County would go on to become an uncontested weekend getaway hotspot . But no : We went , we swam and we hightailed it back to the city as soon as the sun began to set — and that ’ s the sum total of my early , not-so-delicious , not-very-edgy , no-hipster-in-sight introduction to the County .
Times change , it ’ s true .
The whole of Prince Edward County covers about 1000 km 2 and is technically an island , connected to the rest of the province by the bridge just south of Belleville , another roller coaster of a bridge near Deseronto to the east and a far more modest link to the west , near Trenton . The County is a two-hour drive from Toronto , roughly two-and-a-half hours from Ottawa and three-and-a-half from Montréal .
In the decades since my last visit , the County had gradually reinvented itself as a cultural stay-and-play destination with farm visits , gourmet food and tasty libations at the helm . The push towards agritourism was matched by the emergence of the County as a wine region . The first grapes were planted in the region in the early- 1990s , but the year 2007 brought the prestigious VQA certification , giving local wineries a big boost and setting the stage for a robust offering of culinary experiences .
These experiences appeal to a wide range of groups : romantic couples , sip ‘ n cycle gangs , foodies and irreverent escapists eager to savour unique flavours . The breezes off Lake Ontario have combined with the slightly rocky terrain and limestone-rich soil to create optimal winter drainage
14 six star magazine
Photos clockwise from top left : courtesy of The County of Prince Edward ; George Amaro ; George Fischer ; Brühmüller Studio