The Ontario Culinary Tourism Leadership Award was given out last week in Windsor and I was so thrilled that Taste the County won for their initiatives. This area is at the forefront of culinary excellence, it’s amazing that we’re getting recognized. If you’re talking about a destination for amazing food and wine you’re probably talking about Prince Edward County.

I’m very proud of Scout’s collaboration with Taste the County over the past few years working on everything from the 2009 food focused destination marketing campaign, the revamp of the Taste Trail, branding for Countylicious or events like Harvestin the County Supper and Taste! a celebration of regional cuisine. The neat thing is I’m really starting to appreciate and have a greater understanding of lucky I am to be able to live this way and eat this way. I like knowing where my vegetables are coming from, knowing the man that crafted the wine in my glass and savouring a great meal out made by local chef. The County is good in this way, we support each other and we have a better quality of life because of it.

The truth is, the award for Culinary Excellence belongs not only to Taste but to all of the great wineries, restaurants, cheesemaker’s and farm stands that welcome visitors here. They make the experience, we just help it look good from far away.

On a side note, at the same award ceremony the little “media kit” that could won the award for best printed collateral from the Ontario Tourism Summit. That take that piece to 5 awards this year.