Taste T.O. - Food & Drink In Toronto

In the Papers – Saturday, November 21st

Greg Clow — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:30:08 +0000

Here’s a round-up of the food & drink articles in Toronto’s papers today…

National Post:

Gina Mallet is unimpressed that none of the meat being served at the "Wild Game Feastivül" at Bier Markt is actually wild. She notes that it's due to regulations that don't allow wild game to be served in restaurants, but isn't it misleading of Bier Markt to suggest that they're serving something they're not?
Margaret Swaine picks three intense New World reds from today's Vintages release.
Amy Rosen looks past the labels and discovers that so-called "eco-friendly" salmon may not be so eco-friendly after all.
A. Brouwer and A. Wilson convene a Shelf Life panel to establish which butter is better than the other butters.
Bonnie Stern offers recipes inspired by Margaret Atwood's Year of the Flood, as served at a recent gathering of her monthly book club where Ms. Atwood herself was the guest of honour.

Globe & Mail:

Joanne Kates stops by Jam Café, a cheap and cheerful Cabbagetown bistro that is popular with many in the neighbourhood. But as Kates notes, even a $19 prix fixe isn't much of a deal if the food isn't very good.
Beppi Crosariol has good things to say about Russian Standard Vodka, a new arrival on LCBO shelves, is also happy to see Donald Ziraldo, co-founder of Inniskillin, returning to the wine world with a 2007 Riesling Icewine.
Sebastien Centner shares some simple formulas to help calculate how much food and drink you'll need for your holiday party.
Lucy Waverman brings back a few recipes from a trip to Vancouver, where the food keeps getting better and better.
Mark Schatzker offers a satirical look at the recently released Toronto food book Edible City, with (fake) excerpts from (fake) rejected essays.
Eric Reguly looks at the continuing depletion of bluefin tuna stocks, and wonders why an organization that is supposed to be protecting the tuna is actually allowing them to be fished into extinction.
Doug Wallace dines at Humuhumunukunukuapua'a (try saying that three times fast - or even once, for that matter) and other great restaurants in Hawaii.
Barbara Ramsay Orr visits a saffron farm in a most unlikely location: on a mountain in Switzerland.

Toronto Star:

Amy Pataki is probably pretty damn sick of burgers and onion rings, as she reviews the combos from six of the city's gourmet burger joints, four of which have opened in the just the last few weeks. She's also got some local restaurant news.
Gord Stimmell manages to find a few good values amidst the flood of high-priced bottles in today's Vintages release.
Jennifer Bain goes from Saucy Lady to Log Lady this week, as she grows a batch of shiitakes on a specially inoculated mushroom log.
Corey Mintz learns a bit about pairing food and wine by inviting sommeliers Jamie Drummond and Anton Potvin over for dinner.
Ben Stubbs explores Vietnam beyond the usual tourist spots, and learns that there's more to Vietnamese food than phở, and much of it isn't very appealing to Western palates.
Margaret Webb reports that due to her recent article on the issue, organic turkey farmers in Ontario have been given permission to raise their birds outside, thanks to some concessions on the part of the Turkey Farmers of Ontario marketing board.
Rick Westhead profiles Steve Judge and Peter Harvey, two Torontonians who are having great success selling beer in India.

Flavours of the Day – Saturday, November 21st, 2009

Greg Clow — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:00:49 +0000

EVENTS

Swedish Christmas Fair
Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West
11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
free admission
Experience a traditional Swedish Christmas with a Lucia Pageant and Swedish singing and folk-dancing. Take advantage of the huge sale of Swedish handmade crafts and Christmas decorations and home-baked goods like saffron bread and gingerbread cookies, as well as imported Swedish food. The Children’s Christmas Workshop allows families to make Swedish crafts, bake gingerbread cookies and dance around a Christmas tree. This event is presented by the Toronto Chapter of the Swedish Women’s Educational Association International Inc. (Continues to November 22nd.)
[more info]

A Night at the Brewery in Black Creek Pioneer Village
Black Creek Historic Brewery, Black Creek Pioneer Village, 1000 Murray Ross Parkway
6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
$75 - $67 for Black Creek members - call 416-667-6295 to reserve
An entertaining evening including fine food and craft beers at Toronto’s newest tourist destination – a fully operational recreation of an 1860s Ontario brewery. Guests will interact with colourful historical characters, join a lively a tour of the historic Mill and Brewery, and enjoy a delicious three-course meal prepared from locally sourced ingredients. Each course is paired with a selected craft beer. Enjoy Black Creek Beer samples and our popular homemade root chips throughout the evening.
[more info]

Chirstmas Remembered
Black Creek Pioneer Village, 1000 Murray Ross Parkway
weekdays: 9:30 AM to 4 PM - weekends: 11 AM to 4:30 PM
various prices - see website for details
Step back in time to the magic of a Victorian country Christmas. Festive demonstrations and hands-on activities include homemade presents, decorations, and tasty treats. Don't miss one of Toronto's favourite holiday experiences. (Continues to December 31st.)
[more info]

Lucy Waverman
The Cookbook Store, 850 Yonge Street
2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
free
Book signing with Lucy Waverman for her latest book, "A Year in Lucy's Kitchen".
[more info]

Ice, Wine & Dine
Elm Street between Yonge and Bay
4:00 PM to 9:00 PM
free - various prices for food & drink
Indulge your senses with live ice carvings, fire performers, live music, wine and food tastings, fortune tellers, an ice martini lounge and more. Part of the Winter Magic festival presented by the Downtown Yonge BIA. (Final day.)
[more info]

Seasons Christmas Show
International Centre, 6900 Airport Road, Mississauga
various times
$12 for adults - $10 for seniors & youth - free for children 12 and under
Designed to showcase the latest trends in seasonal décor, florals and greens, entertaining products and services, culinary products and unique gifts, the Seasons Christmas show has something for everyone. A host of celebrities will educate and entertain at this year’s main-stage which will be decked out by celebrity designer Jane Lockhart and Zilli Home Interiors of Vaughan. Other highlights include the Windows of Christmas (designed by Seneca College students) and a Beary Merry Christmas; an 18 foot Christmas tree decorated with Teddy Bears in support of The Peel Children’s Aid Foundation. Also, Canadian Living magazine editors take the stage to create the season’s finest dishes, holiday projects and décor ideas to top your tables and deck your halls. (Continues to November 22nd.)
[more info]

Gourmet Food & Wine Expo
Metro Toronto Convention Centre (South Building), 222 Bremner Boulevard
various times - see website for details
$35 for Thursday VIP preview - $15 all other days
Canada's premier gourmet food and drink event, giving attendees the opportunity to explore and learn about nearly every wine region from around the globe, access to premium spirits and sampling from Toronto's finest craft and micro breweries, and the chance to sample cuisine from Toronto's hottest chefs and restaurants. (Continues to November 22nd.)
[more info]

OUT-OF-TOWN

Taste the Season
various wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake & area
11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
$40 for weekend pass
21 Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake come together for a fabulous celebration of great wine and the season’s best bounty. This popular touring and tasting program is a wine and food extravaganza featuring 21 premium VQA wines carefully matched with delicious food pairings. Passes include a 2009 collectible holiday ornament as a keepsake of the event. A portion of the proceeds from each pass will go to support the food program of Community Care St. Catharines-Thorold, to help feed those in our community who would otherwise go hungry. (Continues to November 22nd, and also on November 28th-29th.)
[more info]

Harvest Celebration: Preparing for Winter
Erika's Raw Retreat, 184 Morrison Point Road, Milford
$345 plus GST - accommodations not included - call 613-476-0302 or 416-428-1039 to reserve
Erika Wolff presents a weekend retreat and workshop focused on old fashioned food preservation methods, timely as we focus more on local and in season foods. You will learn how to make sauerkraut, kimchee, kefir and more. We will explore a practical, lifelong healthy eating program - easy to follow, and supporting your intuition and creativity as Erika takes you back to a joyful, natural way of eating. (Continues to November 22nd.)
[more info]

Fabulicious!
various restaurants in Niagara-on-the-Lake
various times
$20-$25 lunch menus - $30-$35 dinner menus
A renowned and envied collection of Niagara-on-the-Lake's finest dining establishments will be serving spectacular lunch and dinner fare at reined-in, mouth-watering, pre-set pricing unique to wine country. See website link below for full details. (Continues to November 23rd.)
[more info]

MARKETS

Downsview Park Merchants & Farmers Market
Downsview Park, 40 Carl Hall Road
10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Farmers Organic Market
St. George the Martyr Church, 197 John Street
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Green Barn Farmers Market
Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie Avenue
8:00 AM to 1:00 PM

St. Lawrence Farmers Market
St. Lawrence Market (North Building), 92 Front Street East
5:00 AM to 5:00 PM

The Village Market
Toronto Waldorf School, 9100 Bathurst Street, Thornhill
8:30 AM to 1:30 PM

What’s Cooking – Friday, November 20th

Sheryl Kirby — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:14:55 +0000

Here's what's cooking around town today...

Is your processed food too salty? It's you own darned fault for liking it that way, say manufacturers. [Globe and Mail]

Even more reasons to eat your veggies. [National Post]

Recapping the Eating Words panel discussion on food writing. [The Cookbook Store]

In the dark grey days of winter, none of us are getting enough Vitamin D. But how much do you need? This piece quotes Health Canada as recommending 200 - 400 IUs per day, but a Google search reveals that 1000 IUs daily is probably better, and I've even seen figures of up to 4000 IUs per day. [Toronto Vegetarian]

You know you're a grown-up when... childhood (processed) comfort foods are not very comforting anymore. [Foodie and the Everyman]

I'm sure there will be many more over the weekend (Ha! See? That's why we did a preview instead!) but the first couple of recaps/reviews of the Gourmet Food and Wine Expo have been posted. [BlogTO] [Sift, Dust and Toss] Incidentally, our favourite highlight of last night's VIP event was the food and wine pairings from "Cafe California" which matched foods (including scallops, rib eye steak and duck breast) by Chef Gordon Mackie (SIR Corp/ Far Niente) with wines from Wente. Best $30 you'll spend all weekend.

And in Food For Thought - when bluefin tuna was for poor people, tough love pie crust, and where ugly photos can get their 15 minutes of fame. [Save Your Fork]

Wine of the Week – An Affair to Remember

Chris Saunders — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:32:30 +0000

Italy is known for some of the most excellent wines in the world. There’s something for everyone in Italian wine regions. Tuscan wines are bold flavourful affairs, attracting wine lovers with rich fruit flavours and warm climate charm. Piedmont attracts wine snobs aplenty with its elegant wines and particular polish. The delicate whites from Friuli attract a plethora of casual sippers. Veneto is well known for its Valpolicella and Amarone wines which have attracted their own followers. Amarone is a particularly interesting wine made from partially dried Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes. The grapes are harvested at maturity, partially dried then crushed, fermented and aged in barriques. The process produces a very distinct flavour profile that is celebrated by many wine aficionados around the world.

Len Crispino is one such aficionado. He was smitten by Amarone-style wines while he was in Italy working for the Ontario Trade Commission. When he returned home to Ontario he was determined to create wines from Ontario fruit in the same process used by Italian Amarone winemakers.

In 2000, Crispino purchased 40 acres in Vineland and started to work. His first crop of grapes was harvested in 2004. In August of 2008, The Foreign Affair winery was opened. Crispino’s wife plays a large role in operations and her brother is Crispino’s business partner, making the business a family affair as well. Andrzej Lipinski is a consultant lending his expertise to the winemaking process at The Foreign Affair. Lipinski has an impressive resume, working with wineries such as Organized Crime, Legends, Fielding, and Megalomaniac on their wines.

The Foreign Affair winery produces a strong portfolio of wines. Several wines are made by air drying completely, some by partial air drying, and a few are made using standard non-drying practices. Drying out the grapes means more grapes are needed to make wine, and a good deal of care is required to ensure the grapes dry without complication. The additional effort translates to a higher price tag for the consumer. Their Cabernet Franc, made through air drying completely before crushing, costs $110 a bottle. At the LCBO, customers are most likely to find the Foreign Affair's Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Riesling from the 2007 vintage. These wines have settled into the typical Niagara premium price bracket, ranging from $28 for the Riesling to $45 for their top of the line Merlot “the Temptress”.

The Foreign Affair Riesling 2007 (LCBO 127340 - $28.00/750 mL) is made from riesling grapes which were partially air dried. The nose doesn’t present a great deal, but there are hints of lime, apple and summer peach. On the palate it feels rich, and is full of ripe pear, peach preserve and lime. The acidity in this wine provides a perfect counterpoint to the ripe flavours. The finish is excellent, transitioning from apple pie spice and pear flavours to a lingering impression of ripe stone fruit. This is really unlike any other riesling on the shelves of the LCBO. The air dry process has given this wine a rich lush profile not present in other wines from the cold climate grape. It’s worth the price for the experience of a fresh interpretation of Riesling, and a wine unlike anything else from Niagara.

Flavours of the Day – Friday, November 20th, 2009

Greg Clow — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:00:39 +0000

EVENTS

Beaujolais Festival 2009
The Dominion Club, 1 King Street West
6:00 PM to 11:00 PM
$65 online/$70 at the door for French Chamber of Commerce in Canada members - $80 online/$85 at the door for non-members
The French Chamber of Commerce in Canada (Toronto chapter) cordially invites you to one of the largest wine celebrations in the world, the Beaujolais Festival, a French tradition to mark the end of the harvest and the release of the new Beaujolais vintage. It is also an opportunity to appreciate the other Beaujolais crus such as Brouilly, Chenas, Chiroubles, Cote de Brouilly, Fleurie, Julienas, Morgon, Moulin a Vent, Regnie and Saint Amour.
[more info]

Cooking Demo with Ken Kostick
The Market Kitchen, St. Lawrence Market, 93 Front Street East
6:00 PM
$50 - call 416-860-0727 to reserve
Ken Kostick, celebrity chef of “What’s For Dinner?” and “He Said, She Said with Ken & Mary Jo” will bring fun and creativity to the kitchen as part of this interactive demonstration. With his innovative, nutritious and seasonal recipes, he’ll incite and bring out the inner foodie in you.
[more info]

OUT-OF-TOWN

What’s Cooking – Thursday, November 19th

Sheryl Kirby — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:28:59 +0000

Here's what's cooking around town today...

Sean Kelly Keenan utters the D-word (donair) in his review of Spinners Sandwich Company but doesn't actually try one. Which means, despite the mediocre review, I'm going to have to trek over there myself and find out just how much my beloved childhood sandwich has been bastardized. [Eye]

There's lots to love about Loire, and a year in business, they've established themselves as a comfortable, unpretentious spot with fab food. [NOW]

Romanasco is officially the coolest vegetable ever - but what the heck do you do with it? [Christie's Corner]

Wanna help shape Canada's food policy (because we really, really need something official)? The People's Food Policy Project needs your help. [Cuisine Canada Scene]

Toronto bids goodbye to Carmen's Steak House. [Toronto Life: Daily Dish]

The November issue of City Bites is now on stands, or view the pdf online. Articles on Caplansky's, Splendido and brandy cocktails. [City Bites]

And in Food For Thought - the home for pardoned turkeys, get a piece of your favourite chef and yum, squirrel vomit chocolate. [Save Your Fork]

OMG Baked Goodness

Adam Pesce — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:17:39 +0000

OMG Baked Goodness
1561 Dundas Street West
647-348-5664

OMG Baked Goodness’ name is thankfully not what you think it is. Short for ‘oh my god’, in this case, it is not a tip of the hat to the generation that hates to spell out whole words. Here, it is a hopeful reaction to tasting the baked delights that come out of this oddly large, yet still quaint, bakery on Dundas West.

Working as a pastry chef for over ten years, Owner Lesley Mattina spent much of her time in Niagara, learning under Anna Olson (of FoodTV fame) and her husband Michael. It was there, in Niagara, that Mattina was indoctrinated with the importance of local and fresh food. “I had a salesman come in the other day (in November) and asked me if I wanted to buy fresh strawberries. They were the size of my fist and bright red. He didn’t seem to have a problem selling them, but I have a problem buying them.” Her philosophy is in tune with the new generation of residents moving into Little Portugal and she can expect her store to be a haven for those newbies.

Surrounded by old school bakeries, social clubs and a strange assortment of seemingly outdated shops, OMG has the benefit of being the most youthful and freshest thing on the strip. “I wanted it to look and feel completely different from everything else in the neighbourhood.” In that, amongst other things, she has succeeded. If the bright pink wall, deer antler display and uber-nouveau name aren’t enough, the food will certainly set OMG apart.

Mattina’s baking philosophy is a new one – she doesn’t believe in following recipes. Typically, chefs work with a far looser set of guidelines than pastry chefs. Wrong ingredients or measurements can seriously effect the flavour and texture of baked goods. This is where experience pays off. Depending on what’s available seasonally, in the store or instinctively most appropriate for a recipe, Mattina has no problem adapting recipes on the fly. The result is an ever-changing menu, devoid of the old standards that haunt most bake shops around the city.

Of the must-make, everyday favourites though, vegan chocolate cupcakes have already become a flagship item. Moist in a way that very few vegan desserts ever have been, the cupcakes would fool even the most die hard of pastry fans. Assorted cookies, cranberry turnovers and loaves of challah bread are regular items as well, but customers can always expect something interesting and new mixed in with the soon-to-be OMG classics.

The expansive storefront that OMG inhabits seems quite strange and over-sized without a proper explanation. Not only is Mattina planning to grow into the space as her business expands, but she has a few other things in the works, as well. While starting her wholesale pastry business, she never had the proper space to bake her wares – a common issue facing many new food companies. Now with the proper kitchen, Mattina wants to do something about that, and has started to rent out her space to fellow bakers who need an inspected kitchen to be able to legally sell their products to restaurants and cafes. As well, plans are in the works to use the store as an event space for private parties, art shows or anything else the community may need it for. “I want the space to be a haven for talented people, regardless of the field they are talented in.”

Speaking with Mattina, it is clear that she has an unbridled passion for what she does and flavour is paramount in her world. “I do tasty, not pretty. You’ll never see fondant or anything else on my food that won’t make you want to shove our food in your mouth.” Her deep involvement with her products, the level of care she takes in preparing her goods and the dedication she is showing to the community that supports her all point to a long residence on Dundas West. OMG’s wholesale customer list is enough to inspire confidence with her neighbourhood consumers. The Oliver & Bonacini Restaurant Group, Santaguida Fine Foods, the Communal Mule and Black Dog Video all proudly serve goods from OMG. With its location in an old school, but changing neighbourhood and food that speaks for itself, OMG looks to be in a perfect position to differentiate itself and find its own audience.

Flavours of the Day – Thursday, November 19th, 2009

Greg Clow — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:00:51 +0000

EVENTS

Gold Medal Plates
Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building Hall FG, 222 Bremner Boulevard
6:00 PM
various ticket prices - see website for details
Gold Medal Plates is the ultimate celebration of Canadian Excellence in food, wine, and athletic achievement. Celebrating in seven cities across Canada in 2009, Gold Medal Plates will feature superb wines and the premier chefs in each city, paired with Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes, in a competition to crown a gold, silver and bronze medal culinary team in each city, and subsequently nation-wide.
[more info]

Nothing But Fat & Bones
U of T Faculty Club, 41 Willcocks Street
6:30 PM
$55 for Slow Food Toronto & Faculty Club members - $55 for non-members - $35 for students - tickets at UofTtix.ca
Author Jennifer McLagan (Bones: Recipes, History and Lore (2005) and Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes (2008)) is joined by chefs Harold Ramos (UofT Faculty Club), Sharon Bergey (Jamie Kennedy Kitchens), John Sinopoli (Table 17) and Michael Steh (Reds Bistro) for a guided tasting of warming, seasonal foods inspired by her innovative books.
[more info]

Hart House Tasting Series: Wines from New Regions
Hart House, Music Room (2nd Floor), 7 Hart House Circle
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
$50 or $250 for series of six tastings - tickets available at uofttix.ca
Care for a glass of Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains from Romania? Join Sommeliers Sheila Person and Stephanie Kern as they showcase wines from up and coming regions around the world. A votre sante!
[more info]

Thursday Night Tasting Series: Upper and Lower Canada Reunited
Vineyards Estate Wines, 228 Queens Quay West
7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
$20 - call 416.598.8880 to reserve
Join Sommelier Glen Siegel (ISG), Wine Educator Daniel Chan, and Wine & Cheese Enthusiast Caroline Charest, for a series of wine & cheese tasting events presented by Vineyards Estate Wines in partnership with A Taste of Quebec. This week's event with feature pairings of Ontario terroir wine to Quebec terroir cheese.
[more info]

Global Wine Tour: Exploring The Wines Of Spain
Global Wine Tour Harbourfront Suite, 33 Harbour Square
7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
$69.95
Join one of Canada's foremost wine experts, Steve Thurlow, on a one evening tour of Spain's most important wine regions. This interactive evening will have you tasting 8 different wines and learning about the different wine producing regions of this very celebrated wine producing nation. Over the course of the evening, you will learn about the unique wine making styles and grape varieties that makes it one of the world's most important wine producing nations. You will also learn about how to match food to the types of wines coming from there. A small sampling of dainty morsels will be provided to assist in the learning of matching food with wine.
[more info]

DINNERS

Twelve Trees of Christmas Gala
Gardiner Museum, 111 Queen's Park
6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
$150-$200
The Museum’s signature annual fundraising event features a silent tree auction and cocktail supper catered by Jamie Kennedy Kitchens. Enjoy party stations throughout the Museum, music, and fabulous food.
Sparkling wreaths and edible gingerbread creations will also be for sale.
[more info]

Food For Change Dinner Series
The Stop's Green Barn, Barn #4, 601 Christie Street
6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
$75 - $120 with wine pairings - $100 to be part of kitchen crew
Chef Chris Brown creates an intimate, five course dining experience for you to savour under the stars at our fabulous Green Barn. And if you want to experience life in a professional kitchen, join the kitchen crew and help prepare the feast. Proceeds to support The Stop Community Food Centre.
[more info]

OUT-OF-TOWN

MARKETS

Apple Tree Market
behind North Toronto Memorial Community Centre, 200 Eglinton Avenue West
3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Dufferin Grove Organic Farmers Market
Dufferin Grove Park, 875 Dufferin Street
3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

What’s Cooking – Wednesday, November 18th

Sheryl Kirby — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:16:05 +0000

Here's what's cooking around town today...

Nick Pashley's new book has lots of fun facts about how we love our beer - and the travesty of Canada's most popular brands being US swill. [Globe and Mail]

The restaurant on Parliament Hill is planning to serve seal meat. Amusingly, many of the MPs polled are now claiming to be vegetarian. [Toronto Star]

Toronto can't get enough of Mexico in the morning. [National Post: Posted Toronto]

If you're waiting impatiently for Monforte to get up and running again in the spring, cheesemaker Ruth Klahsen has some of her fabulous Toscano available to tide you over. [Globe and Mail]

Food bank visits are up 18% over 2008. [Toronto Star]

Pumpkin - not just for Halloween and Thanksgiving. [Toronto Sun]

Mark McEwan's got another restaurant in the pipe, plus plans for a monster food shop on the site of the TravelLodge at King and Bathurst. [Toronto Life: Daily Dish]

More tasting notes for this year's batch of Beaujolais Nouveau. [Billy's Best Bottles]

I've heard that The Local Company over on the Danforth was working out their kinks, but maybe not so much based on this review. [Food With Legs]

And in Food For Thought - wasted food, a dating service for foodies and a fast food flow chart (not applicable to Canadians). [Save Your Fork]

Kitchen Scraps: A Study In Sketch Cookery

Porsha Perreault — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:21:54 +0000

Kitchen Scraps, A Humorous Illustrated Cookbook
Pierre A. Lamielle
Whitecap Books
October 2009, 208 pages, $29.95

I first encountered Pierre Lamielle innocuously, by way of his fantasy entry for Michael Ruhlman’s BLT meme. In lieu of preparing an edible version, he expressed his uncommon point of view via a crude but entertaining set of images titled the “BLT kama sutra”. At the time I wasn’t aware that quirky food drawings were his schtick and wondered what these bizarre sketches were all about. Then one day, I found his website.

Naturally, when I heard he’d be releasing an illustrated cookbook this fall, I enquired whether my illustrious editor could secure a review copy. His publishers graciously complied, and within a few days of receiving it, not only had I read it from cover to cover, but also tested 9 of the book’s 76 recipes.

First impressions aside, I was struck by how much the illustrations reminded me of Roald Dahl’s. Grabbing it from the shelf for a side by side comparison confirmed similarities. As with Dahl’s cookbook, Kitchen Scraps contains whimsical drawings of a pun-y, tongue in cheek nature. However, Lamielle oftentimes comes across like he’s trying too hard; from the introduction referring to the book’s irreverence, to the spastic cooking instructions (and gratuitous use of the word "blap") there are plenty of wince-worthy details. Also, anyone requiring structure will find the book infuriating, since recipes are not categorized in any meaningful order and there is no table of contents. Instead, it's divided into chapters based on whether they are eaten with a spoon, fork, “forkenknife” or hand. Moreover, before I’d cooked anything, I became frustrated by the lack of serving sizes on 7 recipes.

But, just as we should never judge a book by its cover, one should never judge a meal before having the chance to eat it. After a week’s worth of testing I can attest to the tastiness of the majority of the recipes I sampled.

Bear Butt Kicking Granola (pg 10) offered a great deal of leeway in the fruit and liquid components, producing a muesli that even granola haters (like me) will love. My version spiked with pomegranate juice, dried cherries, cranberries, blueberries and gojis was a crunchy, honeyed foil to unsweetened yogurt, but equally yummy eaten out of hand.

The cornily monikered Whirled Peas Soup (pg 16) was a fragrantly minty and freshly sweet puree that amazed with its delicacy considering the book suggests using the frozen variety. Though the mint bordered on over-powering, it made a light and simple meal, one that could only be improved upon with a judicious sprinkling of heat.

Bruno “Bloody Beets” Barbabietola’s Beets And Ricotta Risotto (pg 39) produced a quick (and easier than expected) creamy vegetarian risotto. Like many of the recipes in the book, it called for a generous serving of nuts as garnish, which (due to allergies) I had to substitute for pepitas, but it still worked remarkably well. Though the risotto never turned the bloody crimson I’d expected, its leftovers made stunning arancini.

Cheesy Mac’s Mac And Cheese (pg 61) was another recipe allowing for endless variations, written more as a ratio than a hard and fast rule. Selecting white cheddar, ricotta, parmagiano and smoked gouda for the body, soft, hard and stinky variables produced a gooey and crusty-on-top dish that was extremely comforting and satisfying in small portions. With 13 ounces of cheese, a roux, and buttered breadcrumbs, it’s certainly not for the faint of heart though. Which is likely the reason that the recipe omits a serving size recommendation. Resist the urge to walk away for even a second during broiling; whilst quickly loading the dishwasher one of my mac and cheese crocks’ crumbs caught alight and burnt to a cinder.

Another night’s dinner paired what were possibly the best and worst of the test. The intriguingly non-traditional latke formed by mix and matching root vegetable shreds with the typical potatoes. My Dr. Frankensteinmanburg’s Latkes (pg 117) made with celeriac were crispy brown, creamy and seductively glistening and made too posh a bed for the lacklustrously bland Durga’s Curry (pg 131). Despite the 10-spice handmade curry paste, the dish was decidedly ho-hum with next to no flavour. Even the tart apple relish that accompanied couldn’t save it from mediocrity, so the Durga was discarded in favour of another helping of potato-y pancakes.

On the subject of pancakes, the Stack Of Lumberjack Flapjacks (pg 92) was another moment of discord. The instructions were much more contrived than any lumberjack would have followed (i.e. requiring the egg whites to be beaten to stiff peaks first). The ‘jacks were indeed light and fluffy as promised, but also unsweetened, eggy and insipid even after the recipe’s requisite dousing of maple syrup and butter.

Truth be told, I only made the flapjacks out of morbid curiosity for the leftover recipe on the accompanying page; the Fully Stacked Buffalo Burger (pg 93). In a nod to the eponymous “Luther Burger”, Lamielle’s version is served on flapjack buns rather than donuts, with a cloying candy apple onion relish. To determine whether flapjacks really made the burger better, I prepared one with them and another on a plain old hamburger bun. I suppose if you like that sort of thing, it would be like hitting the culinary jackpot, but for me the flap-bun had several logistical problems, including unappetizingly spongy texture, minimal drip-catching and general disintegration upon contact with onion relish and juicy meat. The 2-ounce tower of grated cheese per burger seemed absolutely ludicrous (though almost necessary for such a lean meat) once piled on, and though the overall flavour was not terrible, I wouldn’t feel healthy consuming it again. Considering that the last recipe in the book is a Heart Attack Sandwich, it amazes me that its title wasn’t reserved for this burger.

Lastly, being a fan of brussels sprouts, I had to try at least 1 of the 3 recipes from the book, and chose the Brussels Beer Fest (pg 73). If you already like sprouts, you’ll probably enjoy these, but if you don’t, it’s not likely to win over any converts. Though 10 sprouts couldn’t possibly taste bad when shingled with the crumbles of 5 slices of bacon, by the time a bottle’s worth of beer reduces, the sprouts are unpalatable and mushy but pleasantly seasoned.

Overall, Kitchen Scraps is entertaining as a flip-through sort of book, but might not be the best choice if you’re solely interested in recipes. Though most of what I cooked was delicious I don’t know that the effort and dirtiness justify the ends. While certainly a small complaint, this is a book that makes alot of mess; every recipe I tested generated a full dishwasher’s load (or more) of dishes, which is daunting and indicative of its many steps. Many recipes also require recipe-within-recipe preparations of condiments, which can tack unexpected time onto the finished dishes.

Lamielle is undeniably funny though, in a nerdy-really-trying-to-be-cool kind of way, and does pepper the book with little tips, tricks and tidbits of trivia to amuse, confound and shock you, like how eating beets will turn certain bodily fluids red (yummy!) Also noteworthy is his tendency towards variations on a theme; there are 3 recipes for oatmeal, 5 different kinds of risotto, 3 types of mussels, ditto that for brussels sprouts, 5 versions of eggs benny and 3 options for pesto in this book. There are a handful of recipes I still plan to try and 3 or 4 I’d make again, but my best suggestion (with the holidays coming up) is that it would probably make a great gift for that friend with a quirky sense of humour that you’re never quite sure what to buy. You know, the one who doesn’t take themselves (or anything) too seriously. These scraps were made for her (or him).

Porsha Perreault is a freelance writer, voracious eater, amateur charcutier, and chocolate enthusiast living in Little Italy. Now that the farmer’s market and gardening season is over, she can often be found with too much time on her hands, or blogging about her obsession with food at Foodie and the Everyman.

Flavours of the Day – Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

Greg Clow — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:00:12 +0000

EVENTS

Hot Versus Cold
café Taste, 1330 Queen Street West
8:00 PM
$45 - call 416-536-7748 to reserve
A tutored tasting by Wine Geek Jeremy Day, featuring a selection of Bordeaux varietals with cheese pairings. We will compare the viniculture of hot and cold regions, as seen between Ontario and Chile. Taste and learn in a laidback, intimate setting with snacks, discussions & other wine fans.
[more info]

OntarioWineReview's Great Gewurztraminer Challenge - Night 3
Campbell House Museum, 160 Queen Street West
7:00 PM
$40
For three nights in November, we’ll congregate and taste over 30 different Gewurztraminers from 28 Ontario wineries. Each night, we’ll taste approximately 10 different Gewurztraminers blind, and each taster will rate the wines on various criteria. Special guests will come in to talk about Gewurztraminer and why it is one of their favourite grapes. Most importantly, your votes and feedback will determine Ontario's Best Gewurztraminer.
[more info]

DINNERS

A Slow Taste of Tuscany
grano, 2035 Yonge Street
7:00 PM
$125 per person/$200 per couple including all taxes, tip and a copy of the book - call 416-440-1986 to reserve
In honour of the new book "Slow: Life in a Tuscan Town" by Douglas Gayeton, a celebration of local and delicious food is taking place on November 18 at 33 restaurants across North America. Toronto's dinner will take place at grano, where chef Lucia Ruggiero-Martella will create a multi-course feast with wine pairings chosen by Billy Munnelly.
[more info]

The Local Food Movement Dinner Series
Gilead Cafe, 4 Gilead Place
6:30 PM
$75 plus taxes & gratuity - paired wine flights priced separately - call 647-288-0680 to reserve
Learn more about the local food movement from the people involved, and meet artisan food producers and wine makers through this informative, intimate dinner series. Enjoy a four-course menu plus hors d'oeuvre prepared by Chef Jamie Kennedy, inspired by the work of our rural partners in food and wine. For a list of participating producers and wineries, see the link below.
[more info]

Torres Winemakers Dinner
Wildfire Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 3438 Yonge Street
7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
$90 plus tax and gratuity - call 416.483.4800 to reserve
The Torres family surname has been linked with wine for more than three centuries, and is today associated with top quality wine in over 130 countries. This dinner will feature hors d'oeuvres and 5 courses, each paired with a Torres wine.
[more info]

MARKETS

University of Toronto Farmers Market
University College, 15 Kings College Circle
2:30 PM to 5:30 PM

What’s Cooking – Tuesday, November 17th

Sheryl Kirby — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:15:47 +0000

Here's what's cooking around town today...

The Beaujolais Nouveau this year is bright and fruity. It goes on sale Thursday. [Toronto Star]

Not to gloat, but it certainly is good to see the city has admitted failure and has revamped the A La Carte programme to be less idiotically stringent. Which doesn't help the people who ran carts this year and were forced into debt and bankruptcy because of the city's bullshit red tape. [Toronto Sun]

Score to Eric Vellend for the insertion of an 80s pop culture reference in his article about Pinot Camp. [Inside Toronto: Menumental]

A recap of the Eating Words Food Writing lecture hosted by the Cookbook Store. [Petit Pear]

A Scarborough restaurant has been fined $20,000 due to a heavy cockroach infestation. [Toronto Star]

Gravity might always win, but for a while anyway, cake artistry prevails. Awesome sewing machine cake! [Sweet Things]

Are we ready for high end teas and tea sommeliers, or are most of us happy with Red Rose for our cuppa? [Dana McCauley]

It's a another record year (and not in a good way) for Canadian food banks. [Toronto Tasting Notes]

And in Food For Thought - doggie bags, "flavorists", and liquid Satan. [Save Your Fork]

Beer of the Week – Rickard’s Dark

Greg Clow — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:17:22 +0000

As one of North America’s pre-eminent beer festivals, Montreal’s Mondial de la Bière is often used as a venue for breweries both large and small to release their latest creations. These new brews are generally strongly promoted and heavily hyped, with many running out well before the festival closes as the beer geeks prowl the floor looking for the latest and greatest.

At this year’s edition back in June, there were a lot of brand new beers to choose from, but there was one that debuted so quietly that many festival goers didn’t even realize it was available. It wasn’t mentioned in the festival program, and there were no obvious signs or placards announcing its availability, which was especially surprising since it was a new beer from Molson, a company not exactly known for being shy when it comes to promoting their products.

The beer in question was an addition to the Rickard’s line-up that was being given a quiet “sneak peak” release a few months before being officially launched. The small sign simply stated that it was a new Rickard’s beer, but the tight t-shirted serving girl cheerily told me it was Rickard’s Porter, which intrigued me for a few reasons. First, I’m a big fan of stouts and porters in general and always up for trying new ones. Second, while I don’t care for most of the Rickard’s brands, I thought they did a decent job with Rickard’s White, so I was willing to have an open mind about this one. And third, they were offering a small cheese plate with each sample poured, so even if the beer was lousy – hey, free cheese!

So I handed over my glass, and received it back filled with a light reddish-brown liquid that didn’t look like any porter I’d ever seen before. After requested and getting assurance that I hadn’t been poured Rickard’s Honey Brown by mistake, I gave it a try, and while it wasn’t awful, it also wasn’t anywhere near being a porter, just a fairly sweet but otherwise non-descript darkish ale. At least the cheese was good.

A few months later, and the beer originally introduced to me as Rickard’s Porter is now commercially available under the name Rickard’s Dark, although the neck label still calls it a “porter brewed with maple syrup”. I suspect that there may have been some tweaking done to the recipe between June and the official launch, as there are some subtle differences to the sample I tried in Montreal.

Most notably, the colour now seems darker, although it’s still a translucent ruby hue, not the dark and opaque brown expected from a proper porter. Very nice creamy tan head, though. The aroma is light, with hints of sweet maple toffee and a slight nutty background. The flavour follows with tasty maple and toffee notes, and even a hint of cocoa, with a bit of balance given by a quick and lightly hopped finish.

Setting style aside, Rickard’s Dark is a pleasant and nicely flavoured dark ale. But I think that Molson has exhibited bad judgment in marketing it even tangentially as a porter, as it quite clearly isn’t one. Labatt has already learned a lesson with their Keith’s Stags Head Stout, a decidedly non-stout-like dark beer that they’ve recently rebranded as Keith’s Dark. Molson was at least smart enough to use the non-specific Rickard’s Dark as the beer’s proper name, but leaving “porter” on the label, even in small print, was a mistake that is going to get them negative feedback from beer writers and raters that might have otherwise cut them some slack.

Rickard’s Dark is available now in 6- and 12-packs in Quebec and the Maritimes, with Ontario distribution currently limited to Rickard’s Taster’s Packs, mixed packs available at The Beer Store that include bottles of Rickard’s Dark, Red and White.

Flavours of the Day – Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Greg Clow — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:00:28 +0000

DINNERS

Thirsty Traveller Beer Dinner
Fynn's of Temple Bar, 489 King Street West
7:00 PM
$40 advance - $50 at the door (if available) - email robinwynne@fynnstemplebar.com to RSVP
Come join us as we celebrate all things beer with Food Network Canada's own Thirsty Traveler, Kevin Brauch. The evening will feature an opening toast beer, followed by a four course dinner, with beer pairings at every course to compliment the food.
[more info]

Mike Weir Estate Wines Dinner
Joy Bistro, 884 Queen Street East
7:00 PM
$100 - call 416-465-8855 or email steve@joybistro.com to reserve
Chef Bryan Burke and Melodie O’Rourke form Mike Weir Estate Wines will host an interactive 5 course meal with carefully selected wine pairings. Learn why local foods match perfectly with local wines and how you can prepare these dinners yourself.
[more info]

Rising Star Dinner Series with Chef Marco Zandona
The Chefs' House, 215 King Street East
$95 - $50 for George Brown alumnae
Chef Marco Zandona (Via Allegro) has a love affair with Italian gastronomy that began at an early age while rolling gnocchi with his mother. Since then, he has lived and worked in several regions of Italy. At Via Allegro, Chef Zandona has focused on Italian Artisanal cooking, and has also pursued an education in wine with the International Sommelier Guild.
[more info]

For a comprehensive list of upcoming events in and around Toronto, check out our Events page.

What’s Cooking – Monday, November 16th

Sheryl Kirby — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:40:01 +0000

Here's what's cooking around town today...

Will anything be accomplished at this week's UN Food Summit? With an eye to development instead of direct aid (See? Dambisa Moyo was right!), it's a good step forward. [Toronto Star]

You might resist the Royal Winter Fair for decades, but once you'll go, you'll return every year (and will come back with the best stuff). [Foodie and the Everyman]

Although there is no evidence that orange juice (and Vitamin C) will help fight off the flu (specifically swine flu), sales of the stuff are going through the roof. [Globe and Mail]

More good words for Caplansky's. [Toronto Sun]

The no-knead bread recipe is making the rounds again and finds another batch of devotees. [Well Preserved]

Tiny bubbles - the wine writer's circle enjoys a selection of sparkling wines. [Gothic Epicures VinCuisine]

And in Food For Thought - apples that stay crisp, chocolate for stress and the real cost of fast food dollar menus. [Save Your Fork]