By: Emmalee Nother
There’s nothing quite like a home cooked meal. The scrumptious smells filling the air, carefully crafting the ingredients to serve to those you love or even just a treat for yourself! It is often a labour of love with the hours cooking over a hot stove or oven, but what if there was a way to have a marvelous, homemade meal without the hours of prep time?
Nestled in the picturesque riverside town of Cayuga, right here in Haldimand County, is the Twisted Lemon restaurant. Creating extraordinary eats is Chef Dan Megna and his wonderful wife and business partner Laurie Lilliman, often sourcing local fresh produce and meats for their delectable dishes. They have a carefully crafted menu for takeout (and eat in when COVID-19 restrictions allow) and one of their creations – the Take & Bake – allows you to make a gourmet meal in minutes, without the prep but with all of the flavour and flare! Check their website and Facebook for their featured Take and Bake menus, this treat is a perfect well-rounded meal that you barely lift a finger to assemble.
With a seasonal select menu to choose from that they post online, you can pick whatever your stomach desires. Dishes include anything from a creamy, sweet potato gnocchi to a sumptuous, seared salmon. All sides are included and it’s a feast. Take & Bake meals are fully cooked, and cooled, prepared meals. You pick them up cold from the restaurant from one of their servers who are just as delightful as their dinners and all you have to do is heat and eat.
Everything is included with the meal – heating instructions, how to garnish (yes, they even include garnishes like basil oil and crispy onions that make these meals even more unbelievably delicious) and how to enjoy. You can get creative with your meal and truly make it your own or make it extra special for those you are dining with.
On special occasions, they often do a Take & Bake that includes an appetizer, meal and dessert at a fixed price. Fully customizable from their pre-selected menu, you can choose the three-course meal that appeals most to your tastebuds.
To add a little extra flare to your fare, Twisted Lemon offers a wide range of prepared cocktails and their full line of Clarity unruffled cocktails. A favourite cocktail is the Winter Margarita, a perfect blend of wintery spices with a tequila twist! Just like their meals, you receive everything you need to make the drink including the garnish, the shot glass and the shaker! It’s like having your own personal bartender, and a great way to impress your friends or significant other.
Whether you’re local or just want to eat like a local, Twisted Lemon’s Take & Bake is a true culinary feast of what Haldimand County has to offer and truly showcases the talent, the care and the drive to redefine fine dining into something that everyone can enjoy from the comfort of their own home.
You can visit Twisted Lemon and browse their full menu and offerings on Instagram – @twistedlemonresto, Facebook – /flavourjunkies , Twitter – @twistedlemonres and online at – http://www.twistedlemon.ca
Haldimand County gratefully acknowledges the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario’s (FedDev Ontario) support for tourism businesses in southwestern Ontario.
Travel only when it is safe to do so. Follow recommendations of your regional Department of Public Health as well as your destination’s Department of Public Health.
