Friday, December 31, 2010

We have a winner! And the Inniskillin prize pack goes to...

Friday, December 31, 2010
Today's the day we give away an Inniskillin prize pack to a lucky winner!

We've done the draw and we have a winner - and the winner is...

ERIN!

Erin told us that her favourite treat is "a dark chocolate truffle, with a glass of ice wine at the end of a long day." Mmm, now THAT'S the kind of indulgence we could all use at the end of a long day, especially during the holiday time! Thanks for sharing, Erin!

We'll be emailing you, Erin, at the address you left us to arrange delivery of your prize pack.

Happy new year to you all, thank you all for entering the contest and sharing your favourite holiday treat with us!
Yours in food,
-Stacey

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

CONTEST ALERT: Happy Holidays from Inniskillin and Tasting Toronto!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Inniskillin and Tasting Toronto want to wish you a happy holiday!

We're giving away an Inniskillin prize pack to one lucky Tasting Toronto reader - You have a chance to win an Inniskillin VIP Tasting Card for their Niagara-on-the-Lake winery, an awesome book all about icewine, Kozlik's triple-crunch mustard (YUM!), and a nice thick winter scarf - all great things to make your winter that much warmer!

To enter, either comment on this post or tweet to us @TastingToronto telling us what your favourite holiday treat is! If leaving a comment, please make sure you leave a way for us to get in touch with you!

Best of luck!
Yours in food,
-Stacey

Contest closes December 31, 2010. Open to residents of Ontario 19 years or older. Entry: Either comment on this post or tweet to us @TastingToronto telling us what your favourite holiday treat is (and if commenting on the blog, please be sure to leave us a way to get in touch with you!). Prizes to win: An Inniskillin prize pack valued at approximately $85. One entry per person. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Mathematical skill-testing question to be correctly answered to win. No purchase necessary. Full rules below.


Tasting Toronto / Inniskillin “Favourite Holiday Treat” Contest

The Tasting Toronto / Inniskillin “Favourite Holiday Treat” Contest (the “Contest”) is open to residents of Ontario who are 19 years or older. The Contest Period starts on December 22, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. and ends December 31, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. No purchase necessary. All times are Eastern Times.

HOW TO ENTER – Either comment on this post or tweet to us @TastingToronto telling us what your favourite holiday treat is. If commenting on the blog, please be sure to leave us a way to get in touch with you.

PRIZE – Entrants are eligible to win one (1) Inniskillin prize pack valued at approximately $85.

FINAL DRAW – The names of all eligible entrants will be entered into a random draw. The random draw by a representative of Tasting Toronto will be made December 31, 2010. The name of the winner will be posted December 31, 2010 via a Tasting Toronto blog post and via @TastingToronto on Twitter. The winning entrant is responsible to verify if he/she has been selected. Selected entrants must make themselves known by 7:00 p.m. on January 7, 2010 by either tweeting to us or contacting tastingtoronto@hotmail.com.

If a selected entrant fails to make him/herself known by 7:00 p.m. on January 7, 2010 or to claim the prize as instructed, incorrectly answers the skill-testing question, declines the prize, fails to sign a Release of Liability as may be specified by Tasting Toronto or fails to present valid ID, entrant will have forfeited the opportunity to claim the prize and Tasting Toronto reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to select another entrant or to cancel the prize.

Prize must be accepted as awarded and is not transferable, redeemable, refundable or exchangeable for cash. Tasting Toronto reserves the right to substitute a prize of at least equal value in the event of the unavailability, for whatever reason, of the advertised prize.

To be declared a winner, selected entrants must first correctly answer, unaided, a time-limited, mathematical skill-testing question at the time of claiming the prize and may need to sign a Release. Contest judges' rulings are final and without appeal in all matters related to the promotion and the awarding of prizes.

By entering this Contest and/or accepting a prize, entrants consent to the use of their entry and name for publicity, advertising or informational purposes carried out by Tasting Toronto in any medium or format without further notice or compensation.

The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, provincial and municipal laws and regulations.

Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries. All entries that are incomplete, illegible, damaged, irregular, do contain offensive material or inappropriate content, have been submitted through illicit means, using any robotic, automatic programmed method that artificially increases the odds of winning or do not conform to or satisfy any condition of the rules may be disqualified by Tasting Toronto. Tasting Toronto takes no responsibility for lost, stolen, delayed, damaged, misdirected, late or destroyed entries, or for typographical or other production errors. Tasting Toronto is not responsible for any errors or omissions in printing or advertising this Contest. All entries become the property of Tasting Toronto.

Tasting Toronto is collecting personal data about entrants for the purpose of administering this Contest. No further informational or marketing communications will be received by entrants.

By entering this Contest, entrants release and hold harmless the Contest Sponsor (the “Releasee”) from any liability in connection with this Contest or, if declared a finalist or a winner, the prize.

This Contest will be run in accordance with these rules, subject to amendment by Tasting Toronto. Entrants must comply with these rules, and will be deemed to have received and understood the rules by participating in the Contest.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Gourmet Food & Wine Expo: quick highlights and pics

Sunday, December 12, 2010
Hi folks - We wanted to share some quick highlights from the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo with you.

IMG_4708wtmk

As a bit of an intro for those who haven't been before, the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo is held in November each year at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. It has over 1,500 wines, spirits and beers from around the world to sample. You basically buy your entry pass, then are handed a wine sampling glass (don't break it or misplace it, or else be prepared to pay $3 for an extra - but they are so darn cute I almost wanted to buy an extra!). Then once inside, you buy a block of tickets you can use toward food and drink and you get little "sample sizes" to try for a few tickets each from whichever booths you deem interesting. We bought 20 tickets this year.

We hadn't been to GFWE in a couple years, but noticed there was a lot more wine than last time so if you're a wine lover, you'll really be enjoying yourself there!

Speaking of wine, we tried a Georgian red wine that was extremely spicy (when you smelled it, it was like black pepper up your nostrils, but I'm kind of a pepper lover - Mark liked it less than I did). It was certainly interesting, and I think it was the most memorable wine I've ever had for its sheer uniqueness.



In terms of ticketed food items, there were some options, but it seemed like less than last time we were there. Everything we did eat was good - we had a yummy vegetarian samosa from Magic Oven with a delicious spicy chutney drizzled over it. But of course I got drawn to DESSERT almost immediately! There was fudge on a stick dipped in chocolate from Northern Confections - what an awesome idea! It was delicious. I was sold at first glance. We also geeked out over the extensive variety of macarons from Ruelo Patisserie. Such unique flavour combinations - wasabi grapefruit, black truffle (no seriously - it was made with real black truffles! It cost more tickets than the others!) Very creative and very delicious.

It's a great night out, if you live in the GTA and haven't yet been to GFWE I'd say be sure to catch it next year because it really is a fun night out, we really enjoyed ourselves.

Yours in food,
-Stacey

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Froyo Cust-yum-ization at Menchies!

Thursday, November 25, 2010
Menchies017wtmk

There's something inherently awesome about customization, especially when it comes to dessert. I mean, there is just something so sinfully appealing about the idea of choosing as many frozen yogurt flavours, toppings and sauces as I'd like, and arranging them in whatever fashion I feel like.

That's one of the reasons I love Menchies. We attended the store opening in The Annex at 511 Bloor St. W. (just west of Brunswick Ave.) and were not disappointed. The chain, which is popular in the U.S. (especially among celebrities) only has a few Canadian stores, but I'm glad to see one downtown.



The possibilities seriously are endless - they rotate different types of frozen yogurt (they have over 100 different flavours in rotation, and if I remember correctly, something like 10-12 at a time are available) and you can also mix and match flavours as you please. Each set of two machines also has a lever in the middle so you can swirl those two flavours together if you wish.

In fact, when we competed in their blogger competition to make the most inventive froyo concoction, we smushed cheesecakes pieces into the bottom of the cup as a bit of a "crust" - seriously, you could, like, make a moat of sauce. Or swirl froyo only around the outside of the cup to make a trench down the middle and drop all your toppings in along with sauce - A FROYO VOLCANO OF SORTS! Maybe I'm weird but, again, I think that's awesome!

You pay by weight, so it's up to you how little or how much you want to have.

Try it for yourself - we would love to know what you created!

P.S. Mark and I fell in love with the mochi, give it a try - glutinous Japanese rice pounded into little cubes - you can add them to your concoction, they are delicious!

Yours in food,
-Stacey

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Winners of Gourmet Food and Wine Expo Contest!

Saturday, November 13, 2010
Our contest with 5 pairs of Gourmet Food & Wine Expo tickets on Saturday, November 20 up for grabs is over and the winners are in!

Congrats to:

@CdnFoodieGirl (via Twitter)
Erika (via Blog)
Dash (via Blog)
@nguyencathy (via Twitter)
Sandra (via Blog)


We'll be emailing those winners / contacting them on Twitter but if you did not post a way to get in touch, please email us ASAP at tastingtoronto@hotmail.com to claim your tickets.

Congrats all! Thanks for telling us what gourmet means to you!

Yours in food,
-Stacey

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Canstruction

Thursday, November 11, 2010
Here are some pictures from Canstruction 2010, an art competition showcasing canned and packed foods in support of the Daily Bread Food Bank:

Canstruction010wtmk

Canstruction011wtmk

Canstruction026wtmk



Click here for more photos

Sunday, November 7, 2010

A Pacific Rim-inspired menu: Chef Chris Mills does a dry-run before he takes his menu to James Beard House in New York

Sunday, November 7, 2010


Chef Chris Mills of Joey Restaurants (Joey Don Mills to be more Toronto-specific, but he's based in British Columbia) was in town at The Burroughes this past Wednesday. He tested out his Pacific Rim-inspired menu on diners in Toronto before he takes it to the James Beard House later this month. The James Beard Foundation, a not-for-profit organization in New York City with a mission to celebrate, nurture and preserve America's diverse culinary heritage and future, has invited him back to cook at the House. Chef Mills was there in 2006 and, to paraphrase him, his second invitation means either he was phenomenal and they want an encore, or he screwed up and they are giving him another chance. My guess is it's the former, judging by the quality of the food - some of which Chef Mills actually foraged for himself. In my experience, he's one of the best chefs we know when it comes to fish and seafood. Living in British Columbia, he knows quite a bit about both.

We got to be his guinea pigs for that final test run before he and his team head off to NYC. We should also note this is the first time a chef has been able to bring servers with him (usually the servers are staffed by the House). So as much as the evening was about the food, the servers were also getting prepped for their big day.

Unfortunately we missed being served some of the appetizers (Peaches & Cream Chicken 'Corndog', Japanese Hummus, Chicken Tacos) but we did have the Pacific Tuna Chopsticks, which I loved the presentation of and told Chef Mills exactly that when he came around to say hi. The hors d'oeuvres were served with Joie Rose from British Columbia.

JamesBeard004wtmk

Dinner was a multi-course experience, each paired quite nicely with an appropriate wine, followed by a delicious dessert - here's what we had (in addition to a Waldorf Salad as a palate cleanser and some Blackberry/Lavender Financiers to finish off the meal):
  • Citrus-cured Haida Gwaii Salmon with Dungeness Crab Flan and Cornbread - The crab flan was delightfully rich, I think some thought it was *too* rich but I personally loved it. I'm a salmon freak (raw, cured and smoked being more my favourites than cooked) and curing it with light and tangy citrus was just heavenly. This was probably my favourite dish if I had to choose one. Wine pairing: L'école 41 "Walla Voila" Chenin Blanc, Washington
  • Atlantic Black Cod, BBQ Pork Belly and Squash Dumpling in a Matsutake Mushroom Broth - Never have I tasted such richly-prepared fish - I thought it would fade next to the rich pork belly, but it really stood up to it. Punched it in the snout, even. Loved it. The mushroom broth was poured over top of the dish by the servers and you could smell it wafting up from the bowl. A well-executed job at mixing fish and meat in one dish. It was topped with a ginger shoot (essentially that's what starts growing off ginger after a while, sort of like potatoes grow those "eyes" - it was a milder ginger taste, and was absolutely delicious) Wine pairing: Sandhill "Small Lots" Viognier, British Columbia (not widely available since it's part of the small lots program - this was the first time I've had a Viognier and I loved how viscous it was, plus the fruitiness and sweetness of it)
  • Licorice-lacquered Duck Breast, Summer Cherry Conserve, with a Hazelnut-Crusted Korean Duck Roll - The anise lacquer on the duck breast was delicious, and cherries with duck = match made in heaven. The duck roll was good also but the real star was the duck breast, cooked just to the right doneness. Wine pairing: Sonoma Cutrer "Russian River Valley" Pinot Noir, California

    JamesBeard023wtmk

  • 45-Day-Aged Beef Rib Eye with Yukon Gold Potato, Braised Oxtail and Black Trumpet Mushroom Lasagna and Bellmann Farm Carrots - Delicious all around. Loved the idea of doing the "lasagna" with layers of potato rather than noodles - it was quite delicious. Wine Pairing: Efeste "Ceidleigh" Syrah, Washington (I think this was Mark's favourite wine, he was talking about it the rest of the night!)
  • Vietnamese Banana Cake with Tropical Fruit Salad and Toasted Coconut Ice Cream - This was incredible, the cake was INSANELY moist, the coconut ice cream was better than any coconut ice cream I've had as it had another dimension of flavour with the toasted taste coming through nicely. The tropical fruit salad starred kiwi and banana - what a great combination that I've just never thought to put together... This item will soon be hitting the dessert menu at Joey Don Mills so if you're there, I beg you to give this a try - It's incredible. Wine pairing: Inniskillin "Okanagan" Riesling Ice Wine, British Columbia
(For more pictures, go here.)

Yours in food,
-Stacey

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Meet Baker Street: You've probably enjoyed their treats and not even known it!

Saturday, November 6, 2010
BakerStreet008wtmk

The fine folks at Baker Street recently invited us to taste some of their pies, tortes and cakes, many of them geared toward holiday entertaining. Now although Baker Street might not sound familiar to you because they do not have a retail storefront, nor are most of their products branded as Baker Street, it's highly probable you've enjoyed some of their treats - the 30-year-old company bakes for grocery store private labels. While some items are branded as Baker Street, namely their apple pies which you've probably seen in the grocery store, most of them are not.

Of everything we tasted, I think my favourite dessert was the pralines and cream cheesecake (pictured below) - the crunchy sweet pralines made a delicious contrast to the smooth, creamy cheesecake. And while I could envision in my mind's eye some of my friends crying "It's too sweet!" I was in heaven - I have a sweet tooth like no one I've ever met! But I could see how someone with less of a sweet tooth might go into sugar shock just looking at it. But whatever. I like sugar shock, thank you very much ;)

BakerStreet003wtmk

The most unique dessert, which was probably my runner-up to the pralines and cream cheesecake, was the gingerbread torte with cream cheese icing. Now I usually don't jump at the chance to have cream cheese icing, I like buttercreams, ganaches and other frostings much better typically, but it was so well-suited to the gingerbread torte that I couldn't imagine it being iced with anything else. You also don't see a lot of desserts using gingerbread, so this was a welcome change from the typical desserts we get offered at grocery stores.

The apple pie was the closest thing to homemade I've had (nothing will ever top my Mom's, but this was pretty close). In addition to a typical full-size pie, you can get individual mini ones at Loblaws ($4.99 for two). Baker Street has a big emphasis on natural ingredients, which I noticed when reading the pie ingredients. You could tell the apples were nice and fresh, as in most pies they use bleached apples which tend, on my palate anyway, to taste more bland. I know, I know, some may argue it's like a very cool oldschool thing to try to bleach your own apples, but the truth is fresh granny smiths make for a better pie.

We also tried a few chocolate cakes which were also all moist and delicious. And although I usually run for the chocolate desserts first, I was impressed enough by all the others that the chocolate desserts were almost just an afterthought. Weird, I know - I'm sorry, chocolate - I still love you!



(For more photos, go here.)

Yours in food,
-Stacey

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Win tickets to the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo!

Thursday, November 4, 2010
Want to go to the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo on Saturday, November 20th for free? Of course you do - let us help you with that!

You and a guest could win tickets if you tell us what the word "gourmet" means to you before Friday, November 12th!

Good luck, everyone!
Yours in food,
-Stacey

Contest closes November 12, 2010. Open to residents of Ontario 18 years or older. Entry: Either comment on this post or tweet to us @TastingToronto telling us what the word ‘gourmet’ means to you. Prizes to win: One (1) of five (5) pairs of tickets to the Gourmet Food and Wine Expo on Saturday, November 20, 2010 valued at approximately $32.00 per pair. One entry per person. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Mathematical skill-testing question to be correctly answered to win. No purchase necessary. Full rules below.

Tasting Toronto “What does ‘Gourmet’ mean to you?” Contest

The Tasting Toronto “What does ‘Gourmet’ mean to you?” Contest (the “Contest”) is open to residents of Ontario who are 18 years or older. The Contest Period starts on November 4, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. and ends November 12, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. No purchase necessary. All times are Eastern Times.

HOW TO ENTER – Either comment on this post or tweet to us @TastingToronto telling us what the word ‘gourmet’ means to you.

PRIZE – Entrants are eligible to win one (1) of five (5) pairs of tickets to the Gourmet Food and Wine Expo on Saturday, November 20, 2010 valued at approximately $32.00 per pair.

FINAL DRAW – The names of all eligible entrants will be entered into a random draw. The random draw by a representative of Tasting Toronto will be made November 12, 2010. The names of the five winners will be posted November 12, 2010 via a Tasting Toronto blog post and via @TastingToronto on Twitter. The winning entrant is responsible to verify if he/she has been selected. Selected entrants must make themselves known by 9:00 p.m. on November 15, 2010 by either tweeting to us or contacting tastingtoronto@hotmail.com.

If a selected entrant fails to make him/herself known by 9:00 p.m. on November 15, 2010 or to claim the prize as instructed, incorrectly answers the skill-testing question, declines the prize, fails to sign a Release of Liability as may be specified by Tasting Toronto or fails to present valid ID, entrant will have forfeited the opportunity to claim the prize and Tasting Toronto reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to select another entrant or to cancel the prize.

Prize must be accepted as awarded and are not transferable, redeemable, refundable or exchangeable for cash. Tasting Toronto reserves the right to substitute a prize of at least equal value in the event of the unavailability, for whatever reason, of the advertised prize.

To be declared a winner, selected entrants must first correctly answer, unaided, a time-limited, mathematical skill-testing question at the time of claiming the prize and may need to sign a Release. Contest judges' rulings are final and without appeal in all matters related to the promotion and the awarding of prizes.

By entering this Contest and/or accepting a prize, entrants consent to the use of their entry and name for publicity, advertising or informational purposes carried out by Tasting Toronto in any medium or format without further notice or compensation.

The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, provincial and municipal laws and regulations.

Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries. All entries that are incomplete, illegible, damaged, irregular, do contain offensive material or inappropriate content, have been submitted through illicit means, using any robotic, automatic programmed method that artificially increases the odds of winning or do not conform to or satisfy any condition of the rules may be disqualified by Tasting Toronto. Tasting Toronto takes no responsibility for lost, stolen, delayed, damaged, misdirected, late or destroyed entries, or for typographical or other production errors. Tasting Toronto is not responsible for any errors or omissions in printing or advertising this Contest. All entries become the property of Tasting Toronto.

Tasting Toronto is collecting personal data about entrants for the purpose of administering this Contest. No further informational or marketing communications will be received by entrants.

By entering this Contest, entrants release and hold harmless the Contest Sponsor (the “Releasee”) from any liability in connection with this Contest or, if declared a finalist or a winner, the prize.

This Contest will be run in accordance with these rules, subject to amendment by Tasting Toronto. Entrants must comply with these rules, and will be deemed to have received and understood the rules by participating in the Contest.

Monday, November 1, 2010

The Circolo fit right in at L'Oreal Fashion Week!

Monday, November 1, 2010
Mark is more of a coffee lover than I, but I fell in love with the aesthetics of the machine itself when I checked it out at L'Oreal Fashion Week.

The stylish Krups Nescafe Dolce Gusto Circolo comes in a number of different colours (red looked sleekest in my opinion). It retails for about $179.99 in Canada (plus the coffee and milk steamer capsules need to be bought but it appears on the Sears website that you get a starter pack of capsules when you purchase it, and the machine is currently $40 off). I figure if you're looking to take your home coffee experience to the next level, this is a good way to do it.

You can buy a variety of different cartridges, everything from macchiato to chococino to cappuccino - I tried the cappuccino and found it really delicious, it tasted like something you'd get at a more upscale coffee shop.

I was also told it's pretty easy to clean (that was one of my first concerns). Might be a good gift for the coffee-lover in your life :)

Yours in food (and coffee!),
-Stacey

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Want to spend an evening with Jamie Oliver and Bob Blumer? Tasting Toronto gets you there for less with discounted tickets!

Sunday, October 24, 2010
If you're in Toronto and you want to spend an evening with one of the world's most well-known and popular chefs, Jamie Oliver, then you're in luck!

The Art of Cooking presented by Food Network Canada is hosting Oliver at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on November 18, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. Bob Blumer (host of Food Network’s "Glutton for Punishment") will also be there.

And we have a promo for $10 off the price of General & VIP tickets, and $20 off per ticket for groups of 5 or more: Just use promo code JN29 or click here.

Enjoy!
Yours in food,
-Stacey

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Chef Matt Kantor of Little Kitchen comes to my little kitchen!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Tasting Toronto is about different ways you can experience food in Toronto. We've brought you everything from cooking classes to casual dining to high-end tasting experiences in the city.

Now here's something new and unique that I honestly think should be on everyone's bucket list, simply because it's just *that* indulgent and awesome: Having a chef over to cook a gourmet multi-course dinner for you and your closest friends.

I was fortunate enough to win a visit from Little Kitchen chef Matt Kantor through a raffle at a holiday event (HoHoTO). This experience would take a birthday or anniversary or other special occasion to the next level - it's really truly an amazing thing seeing a trained chef work his magic in your own kitchen. I can't believe he was able to manoeuver around my tiny kitchen with the minimal amount of counter space I have - the man is a magician in the kitchen.

IMG_7787

For more photos, click here.

He had thought of everything, right down to bringing his own plates. I'll always remember we had the Olympics on, and he was somehow able to chat to us, watch the Olympics, and cook all at once (and yes, I said Olympics - that's how long ago I meant to post about this!)

Here's the menu he served us, with a video after so you can see the scrumptious food he made - remember, he's always willing to work with the client on the menu choices, but as he's the chef, I gave him full creative licence to put together whatever he thought would be delicious. After all, chefs are chefs for a reason. ;)

  • --Chestnut chowder with a bacon / apple / shiitake pastry surprise inside

  • --Salmon two ways - smoked and cured with a fennel chip, blood orange and purple potato

  • --Hazelnut ravioli with truffle and parmigiano reggiano

  • --Lamb biryani

  • --Chocolate cake with banana, peanut and curry




  • Yours in food,
    -Stacey

    Monday, October 4, 2010

    Swiss-Master Chocolatier 25th Anniversary

    Monday, October 4, 2010
    With restaurants coming and going in the blink of an eye, it is quite a feat for a food related enterprise to stay relevant after 25 years. With a proven product and a solid relationship with the community, Swiss-Master Chocolatier has stood the test of time and celebrated this milestone with pomp and yumminess to say thank you.

    SwChoc25th005wtmk

    SwChoc25th015wtmk



    Swiss-Master Chocolatier
    2538 Bayview Avenue
    North York, ON M2L 1A9, Canada
    (416) 444-8802


    View Tasting Toronto in a larger map

    Tuesday, September 28, 2010

    Distinguished Restaurants of North America conference

    Tuesday, September 28, 2010
    Last week Toronto played host to some of the continent's top chefs and restaurateurs at the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) conference. A couple of culinary highlights from the conference were the CN Tower reception at Horizons, and the Grand Gala at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

    The CN Tower event featured Canadian cuisine, and had the Hon Peter Fonseca, MPP, Minister of Labour, opening the conference.

    DiRoNaCN010wtmk

    DiRoNaCN016wtmk

    DiRoNaCN037wtmk

    DiRoNaCN043wtmk



    The Grand Gala at the Fairmont Royal York was an elegant sit-down event featuring a Japanese dinner paired with fine Italian wine. The Kaiseki dinner was created by Iron Chef 2002, Kimio Nonaga, with the assistance of Chef Ryo Ozawa of EDO Toronto.


    What is Kaiseki?

    Here was the menu for the evening:

    OTOSHI – AMUSE BOUCHE
    Vino Spumante – Pinot
    Italian Black Truffle Flan

    APPETIZER
    2009 Il Vendemmiale Gavi DOCG
    Four Composed Japanese Tastes
    Home-made Sesame Tofu Spinach Mushroom Medley
    Foie Gras Opium Poppy Seed Pate Satsuma Potato Beggar’s Bag

    SASHIMI
    2007 Roccanivo Barbera d’Asti
    Kuroge Wagyu Tataki
    Sliced Black Wagyu Rib-Eye with “Ponzu Sauce”
    Shisso-Flavored Potato Salad

    YAKIMONO
    2009 Il Sensale Roero Arneis DOCG
    Cherry Wood Smoked Miso
    Marinated Canadian Salmon and Scallop

    TOMEMONO
    Rice-dusted Crisped Fluke with “White Snow”

    SHOKUJI
    2005 Barolo Sant’ Ambrogio
    Duck Two Ways
    Steamed Minced Duck
    Japanese Mushroom Rice “Puck”
    Simmered Duck Breast with “Hot-Spring” Egg

    DESSERT
    2009 Moscato d’Asti DOCG
    Nonaga Original Japanese Cheesecake
    “Kinako” & Black Bean Ice Cream
    Fried sugar coated Sweet Potato

    DiRoNA gala028wtmk

    DiRoNA gala030wtmk

    DiRoNA gala037wtmk

    Sunday, August 29, 2010

    Chippy's + TeamBuy = YAY!

    Sunday, August 29, 2010
    On Friday night we checked out the new Chippy's location on Bloor (the original, which is known for its rockstar clientele, is on Queen).

    Chippys Fish and Chips

    We had a sweet deal through a TeamBuy.ca trial - those who bought into the deal pretty much got one order of fish, chips, a side (sauce) and a drink for free, because the discount was so good it was pretty much a "dinner for two" deal. Very cool. Even without TeamBuy, Chippy's is a reasonably-priced place to go for a casual fish and chips experience, with decent portion sizes for decent prices - I couldn't even finish my fries because my piece of haddock was so huge. They have some unique "sides" (which I'd more accurately want to call "sauces" - the closest thing to a "side" is their mushy peas) but don't look for any gravy - the closest thing they have is curry gravy, which is moderately hot and quite tasty.

    I also gotta give some love to the fries specifically because they were nice and crispy on the outside and so, so soft on the inside. Mark and I were imagining what a poutine made with those fries might taste like...

    The haddock itself was flavourful and the batter was light and crunchy, which helped it to not feel as greasy as your usual fish and chips. But if you're someone who really prefers a ton of batter on your fish, you might find it a little on the light side at Chippy's.

    The two guys serving up the fish and chips were really friendly and were playing some great tunes (and, probably by some people's standards, loud tunes, but hey, it fits the scene there). They were also experiencing a rush of TeamBuyers because the deal we all bought into expires Aug. 31!



    All in all, I'd say try Chippy's for a cheap and cheerful dinner if you're in the Bloor / Bathurst area, and try TeamBuy if you're a foodie - every so often a good food deal appears that's definitely worth taking advantage of.

    Yours in food,
    -Stacey

    Monday, August 23, 2010

    Deep-fried butter and other artery cloggers at the Ex

    Monday, August 23, 2010
    What good reasons are there to go to the Ex? Sure there are good deals to be had, midway rides, games, the general sense of festiveness, and a celebration of the summer just passed, but the best reason to go by far is the food. It's not gourmet food, it's gimicky, often greasy, and always fun fairground fare.

    Year after year, my Ex staples have been a corndog and an ice cream sandwich. But this year, I'm pushing the cardiac envelope with some sure fire artery cloggers. Here's the rundown:

    Deep-fried Butter

    TheEx0014

    This has been the talk of the town. It sounds decadently gluttonous, and elicits awe, disgust, fascination, and food lust all at once. It was good, but not spectacular, and certainly no where near as rich as foie gras or my favourite Filipino treat Sans Rival (essentially butter with a little meringue holding it together).

    The frozen butter ball melts away while frying, so you're left with four hollow butter-soaked balls of funnel cake batter, sauced with chocolate, vanilla, caramel, and strawberry, dusted with icing sugar.

    Chocolate-covered Bacon

    TheEx0013

    What can I say? Pork definitely loves chocolate.

    Deep-fried Mars bar

    TheEx0019

    This was my favourite treat at the Ex. A hot molten Mars bar is a whole lot sweeter and richer than one at room temperature. You can certainly feel every bite buzzing your brain and teeth.

    Twinkie Log

    TheEx0021

    This looks nice, and sounds great in concept, but it was it was rather dry and unspectacular compared to the other items above.

    Taco in a bag

    TheEx0030

    This was a novel take on a taco salad. Interesting, but not very tasty, and not very easy to eat. It's a bag of Nacho Doritos with all your taco fixin's.

    There was so much more food I wanted to give a go like Bouchard's "The Mexican" poutine, and deep-fried Mac & Cheese, but alas that's enough abuse for one day. Perhaps next year.





    Click here for more photos

    Tuesday, August 10, 2010

    Downtown at the Night Market

    Tuesday, August 10, 2010
    This past weekend was the first T&T Waterfront Night Market. The night market came to Toronto from East Asia, via Richmond and Vancouver. This night market featured over 60 food and merchandise vendors, serving up an eclectic mix of treats including Taiwanese popcorn chicken, pineapple slush in hollowed out pineapples, tofuyaki, Thai desserts, bubble tea, Singapore beef jerky, and Filipino sago.

    NightMarket006

    NightMarket025



    The signature items were the Tornado Potato, a jumbo potato cut into a long corkscrew and deep-fried, and the infamous Stinky Tofu... which is exactly what it's called.

    NightMarket011

    NightMarket018

    Having the Night Market, the Taste of the Danforth, and the Festival of Beer on the same weekend certainly left many a liver crying.

    NightMarket068



    Click here for more photos

    Thursday, August 5, 2010

    Globe Bistro

    Thursday, August 5, 2010
    Globe Bistro was among the top picks at this year's Summerlicious. We're glad we got a chance to check out their enticing menu.

    GlobeBistro013



    Here's what you get for a $35 dinner:

    Tom Collins Cucumber Gazpacho (vegetarian)
    Lake Erie farms cucumber, lemon cress, preserved lemon, Canadian gin
    or
    Shaved Fennel & Purple Basil Cress Salad (vegetarian)
    Spiced pistachio, taggiashi olive dust, orange gelée
    or
    Pickled Beef Tongue
    Micro herb salad, ciabatta croutons, Flower Power sunflower oil,
    or
    Smoked Black Cod Brandade
    Crispy shallot rings, smoked paprika essence, confit garlic crostini

    ***

    Seared Cumbrae’s Flank Steak
    Duck fat Yukon chips, vine ripe tomato, scallion, Triple Crunch aioli
    or
    Lake Erie Pickerel
    Wild rice coriander salad, Millbank green peas, marjoram cress, earth chardonnay vinaigrette
    or
    Swiss Chard Torte Verde (vegetarian)
    Best Baa Farm feta, charred tomato coulis, blonde frisée, chives
    or
    Ontario Rabbit Linguini
    Maltese spiced, eggplant, roasted grape tomatoes, Monforte pecorino, thyme cress

    ***

    Callebaut Dark Chocolate Torte
    Espresso mousse, Cherry Lane Farms black cherry sugar
    or
    Ewenity Crème Fraiche Panna Cotta
    Candied lemon zest, wild blueberry soup
    or
    Globe Summer Berry "Mess"
    Vanilla spiced meringue, bacon infused whiskey, Ontario berries



    Sunday, July 18, 2010

    Expressions of Brazil

    Sunday, July 18, 2010
    Yesterday I checked out Expressions of Brazil, part of the World Routes summer festivals at the Harbourfront Centre.

    ExpBrazil001

    There were lots of people sitting on the turf, enjoying music from Brazilian performers.



    Though there were many cultural activities such as film screenings and drumming workshops, I went there primarily to sample Brazilian food. I was a little disappointed to not find much that was Brazilian, although there was a strong Latin American presence in the World Cafe.

    ExpBrazil014

    ExpBrazil013

    It was a nice event for families, with the live entertainment, a chance to walk by the water's edge, plus the usual Harbourfront standbys of churros, fresh coconut, and a small bazaar. It also amazed me how you could hear the Toronto Indy buzzing all the way from Exhibition Place.

    Friday, July 16, 2010

    Tasty Thursdays

    Friday, July 16, 2010
    Food and farmers in the middle of the concrete jungle. I love how in the heart of the downtown Toronto, amid the towers of commerce, like spires from the fortress of solitude hides lunch-hour delights.

    TastyThurs020

    At Nathan Phillips Square, in front of City Hall, we have Tasty Thursdays. From July 15 to August 26. Enjoy $5 meals whilst enjoying some multi-cultural entertainment.



    TastyThurs019
    - Tandoori chicken burger

    TastyThurs012


    A couple of blocks away, on Thursdays from 11-2, is theBay-Adelaide Evergreen market, run by the people who brought us the Brickworks farmers' market.

    TastyThurs028

    TastyThurs041

    TastyThurs038

    TastyThurs044



    Green Guide: Toronto Farmers' Markets

    Tuesday, July 13, 2010

    Summerlicious: SEN5ES

    Tuesday, July 13, 2010
    Summerlicious 2010 is in full swing. While many restaurants cut corners and serve up a bare bones menu just so they can say they have a prix fixe offering, the rare ones rise to take advantage of what Summerlicious ought to be: An opportunity to tease the general public with haute cuisine.

    This year we tried out SEN5ES, and boy did it stimulate all 5. The restaurant was elegantly decorated and had a mix of textures and designs that made you want to run your fingers across everything. The ambient music was full, melodic, and upbeat; more like a lounge than a typical dining room.

    sen5es005

    The food was simply amazing. While dinner was at $45, putting it on the high end of the Summerlicious range, I venture that the calibre of artistry and attention to detail, not to mention textures and tastes, would put it on par with much more expensive evenings out.

    sen5es009
    - Finely sliced roasted veal tenderloin on tuna fish sauce, tea smoked egg with arugula lettuce and sun-dried tomato vinaigrette

    The rare veal went very well with the bitter arugula and the smokey egg. The sauce unexpectedly was more a tuna puree, giving a fuller feel on the tongue than a watery sauce would.

    sen5es010
    - Tian of red tuna, salmon and hamachi tartare, avocado, cucumber, vine ripe tomato, aged balsamic glace

    Looking at this item on the menu, I thought I'd get something like a sushi roll. I was pleasantly surprised at the way it was prepared. The 3 different kinds of fish definitely gave a more complex taste. The pureed avocado went better with the tartare than slices in a maki roll would. The crunchy and salty lotus root chip added another dimension of flavour and visual appeal.

    sen5es015
    - Prime beef tenderloin and tempura prawn, wasabi mashed potatoes, bean bundle in bacon and natural veal

    The tempura was a little over-cooked, something that could be excused a bit given the size of the particular prawn used. It was still quite enjoyable. The beef was lovely and perfectly cooked. The carrots were very yummily buttery garlicky, and the mashed potatoes with a mild wasabi kick was great.

    sen5es018
    - Roasted Grand Mariner liqueur duck breast, duck leg confit lasagna and orange duck jus

    I totally loved this dish. Although the duck was a little tough, the skin was wonderfully crisp and salty. The best part though was the duck confit lasagna. That's gotta be one of the best lasagnas anywhere, although with just one layer of pasta on top, it might qualify more as a pot pie. Still, it was rich, creamy and just awesome!

    sen5es021
    - Lemon-lavender-blueberry dome with chocolate arts, lemon-grass vanilla sauce

    Looks like a spaceship, or one of those skyscraper car parks in Chicago. The dome was mild, light, and (usually reserved for beverages rather than food) refreshing.

    sen5es026
    - Cherry jubilee, crepe suzette and vanilla ice cream

    Cherries, warm crepes and ice cream.... I scream!