Sometime during the fall, a friend and colleague threw a party to bid farewell to the house he designed and built himself. He had just put the property on the market and decided to invite friends and co-workers over to admire his handiwork.

The approximately 2200 square foot bungalow with custom baths, a spacious kitchen, solid wood cabinetry, and laminate hardwood floors is located in Cornwall, Ontario. Personally, my main draw was my friend's custom built barbecue enclosure. It weather proofed his barbecue from rain, wind, snow, and sleet, permitting him ready access to a propane grill year round. I had heard so much about the enclosure that I had to see it before the property sold.

Since this was the first time my better half and I ventured into Cornwall, we volunteered to drive down with my colleague to setup for the party. On the way, we stopped by a cheese co-op to purchase curds for the party and had lunch at Shoeless Joe's.

St. Albert Cheese Co-operative Inc.
According to its website, the St-Albert Cheese Co-operative Inc. (aka: St-Albert Co-operative Cheese Manufacturing Association) is located in the Casselman region (just a few kilometers from Ottawa) and represents approximately 50 producers. It employs approximately 60 people and has been producing quality cheese for over 100 years with 100% pure milk.

There, I purchased a package of pre-sliced old (fort) cheddar from St. Albert's dairy bar.

100% Milk Old Cheddar

At $4.78, quite the bargain

Nutritional Information
Originally, I intended the cheddar to make a baked macaroni and cheese. However, after I sampled a slice, its strong sharp cheddar flavor - tangy, slightly salty, and smooth - made me reconsider. I ate the rest of the cheese over the period of a week with whole grain crackers. It has to be the best cheddar I have ever sampled.

Shoeless Joe's
When we arrived in Cornwall, we had lunch at Shoeless Joe's. Shoeless Joe's is a chain sports-oriented restaurant with well over a dozen establishments throughout Ontario. According to my colleague, the Shoeless Joe's in Cornwall had newly opened. My better half and I, however, were quite familiar with Shoeless Joe's pub fare and menu. You see, we often frequented the Kingston establishment while she schooled at Queen's. We are particularly fond of Shoeless Joe's freshly made lattice fries and garlic dip.

Here are pictures of our orders:

Fish and Chips w/Garlic Dip ($12.45)

Pulled Pork Sandwich w/Lattice Fries($10.68)

San Diego Chicken Wrap w/Lattice Fries($9.95)

Personally, I ordered the San Diego Chicken Wrap. With its fresh vegetables, soft tortilla, and slices of crisp seasoned breaded chicken, I had a good lunch. The wrap must have been made to order because wraps made with slices of freshly fried chicken quickly go soggy with the moisture from the vegetables and sauce (typically mayonnaise or ranch dressing).

Total cost for 2 platters of fish and chips with garlic dip, 1 pulled pork sandwich with lattice fries, 1 chicken wrap with lattice fries and 3 drinks: $63.58 (before tip, after taxes).

Oh and here are pics of my colleague's barbecue enclosure. It was made with several sheets of plexi glass, pressure treated lumber, and a composite material that fits snugly around the pressure treated lumber:

Barbecue Enclosure

Composite Material
Cheers to my colleague for coming up with this solution. If I ever get the opportunity, I plan on plagiarizing the design :)

Particulars:
St-Albert Co-operative Inc.
150 St-Paul Street,
St-Albert Village
(613)987-2872

Shoeless Joe's
1110 Brookdale Avenue,
Cornwall
(613)937-4838