Gourmet Food and Wine Expo 2011

A couple of weeks ago we made our way down to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre South Building for the annual Gourmet Food & Wine Expo.

There we sampled delicious food and drink from all over the world including some paella, venison ribs and yummy desserts!
Our favourites were macarons from Ruelo Patisserie and petit fours from the Windsor Arms Hotel.


A "Ruelo" (chocolate praline) and a "Fleur de Sel Caramel" macaron from Ruelo Patisserie












petit fours from the Windsor Arms Hotel







Posted by: Mark Rodas

Gourmet Food & Wine Expo: quick highlights and pics

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



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

Winners of Gourmet Food and Wine Expo Contest!

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

Win tickets to the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo!

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.