torontolife.com » Food Porn http://www.torontolife.com/daily Daily updates from Toronto Life magazine Sat, 19 May 2012 14:30:27 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 Three Ontario chefs show off the best of Aussie cooking at the epic Toronto Down Under dinners http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2012/01/26/toronto-down-under/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=toronto-down-under http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2012/01/26/toronto-down-under/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:53:49 +0000 Renée Suen http://www.torontolife.com/daily/?p=114053

Today is Australia Day, which celebrates the establishment of the first European colony in New South Wales in 1778 (also: dingoes, babies, Vegemite and Crocodile Dundee). Here in Toronto, three Ontario chefs—Matt Kantor (Secret Pickle Supper Club and Ghost Chef), John Placko (culinary director of Maple Leaf Foods) and Kingston wunderkind Luke Hayes-Alexander (Luke’s Gastronomy)–banded together [...]

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Vegemite grilled cheese (no, really), kangaroo with quandong and whisky truffles (Image: Renée Suen)

Today is Australia Day, which celebrates the establishment of the first European colony in New South Wales in 1778 (also: dingoes, babies, Vegemite and Crocodile Dundee). Here in Toronto, three Ontario chefs—Matt Kantor (Secret Pickle Supper Club and Ghost Chef), John Placko (culinary director of Maple Leaf Foods) and Kingston wunderkind Luke Hayes-Alexander (Luke’s Gastronomy)–banded together to host three nights celebrating Australian cuisine, complete with Australian wines, beer and whisky pairings at the Cookbook Store’s kitchen studio, the site of last year’s El Bulli Imitació dinner.

This time round, Kantor took a back seat this time to Placko (an Australian native) and Alexander-Hayes, who recently staged at some of the best restaurants in Sydney. With nothing but a cheeky website (and some social media promotion) to tease ticket-buyer appetites, most of the evening’s attendees came with open minds and empty stomachs. Catering to 12 guests per evening, the trio sent out 15 courses that began with familiar indigenous ingredients used in unfamiliar ways before ebbing into unfamiliar territory—everything from quandong to wattleseed—and finishing off with a glorious Tim Tam Slam. No idea what we’re talking about? Check out the slideshow »

Matt Kantor (Little Kitchen, Secret Pickle Supper Club, Ghost Chef), John Placko (culinary director of Maple Leaf Foods) and Luke Hayes-Alexander (Luke’s Gastronomy, Kingston) get ready for the meal John Placko leading the Toronto Down Under team in a discussion about the evening’s agenda. From left to right: Matt Kantor, Sarah Placko, Michelle Rabin, Luke Hayes-Alexander and John Placko A sous-vide setup was kind of given, as modern techniques are common in the kitchens of all three chefs. The menu and handouts about the evening’s special courses provided to each of the guests A preview of the last course. Most of the guests weren’t sure what to expect, although they did recognize a few of the table’s items including the Australian flag, a giant bucket of Vegemite and a didgeridoo. The playlist featured Australian artists and a little didgeridoo. A beet and Granny Smith hot and cold martini, a little riff off of the hot-frozen gin fizz from Kantor’s El Bulli Imitació dinner. Kantor was keen to note that both beets and Granny Smith apples are native to Australia. Vegemite grilled cheese sandwich: buttered bread sandwiched with cheese and a thin layer of Vegemite paste. Similar to beef boullion, the brewers’ yeast extract is salty, slightly bitter and incredibly malty; in the grilled cheese it adds a layer of umami flavour that is savoury and strangely addictive. Two well-known savoury ingredients shipped in for the Australia-themed event: Vegemite and Murray River pink salt Oysters Kilpatrick: a classic way to serve oysters in Australia. The Malpeque oysters were topped with chopped cooked bacon, a bit of butter and Worchestershire sauce before being baked in the oven for five minutes. Yellowtail crudo with coffee, lemon and beer. Yellowtail is a popular fish in Australia. Here, silky and aromatic fillets of sashimi-grade yellowtail were drizzled with coffee oil (Kantor tells us the coffee was roasted by a Torontonian from Australia) and lemon juice before being dusted with Murray River pink salt. The crudo was sided with an emulsion of Coopers Brewery sparkling ale and some baguette. Coopers Brewery Sparkling Ale. A refreshing English pale ale that went very well with the first flight of starters. Barramundi brandade with an olive vinaigrette (lemon, olive oil, chives and parsley) Pumpkin soup with goat cheese and ginger. Butternut squash is also known as “pumpkin” in Australia and is ubiquitous in soup form on grocery store shelves. Placko served a modernist version with a warm goat cheese sphere and crisp micro-sponges that were flavoured with pumpkin and ginger. Micro-sponges: sort of like sponge cake, but softer, springier and not sweet. These were baked to top the pumpkin soup course and also served moist and soft with the kangaroo course. “Blinman”: White stripe lamb, beets (two ways), lemon myrtle, brown butter and wattleseed. This dish was based on Hayes-Alexander’s experience in Blinman—a deserted mining town 25 almost 2,000 kilometres from Sydney, Australia—where the young chef was the first Canadian invited to attend and judge the legendary Blinman Camp Oven Cook-Off. Here, a thick wattleseed-studded shell surrounds loose braised lamb. Wattleseeds are the edible seeds from 120 species of Australian Acacia eaten by Australian Aborigines either directly or made into a type of bush bread. Their flavour straddles chocolate, coffee and hazelnuts. Kangaroo meat is high in protein and low in fat. Quandong, below, is a type of wild peach with a big nut and a leathery skin that grows on small desert trees. The fruit is tart, but highly nutritious (twice the vitamin C of an orange) and is an important part of the aboriginal diet. A trio of lean and mildly gamey rare kangaroo loins that were cooked to 60 degrees with caramelized onion micro-sponge, tamarillo fruit purée, black garlic purée and quandong chutney made with onion, mustard powder and quandong cooking syrup. This the first snack Hayes-Alexander had when he landed in Sydney—a ball of pastry wrapped around braised shoulder of beef with shallots and served in a brown paper bag. A deconstructed take on the previous course, featuring braised beef cheek over a light pool of pastry sauce and a smear of thick, sweet roasted onion purée. Other items dressing the busy plate included roasted onion wedges, roasted onion tuiles, pickled mustard, red chilies, garlic, white wine jellies, tiny, cookie-like brown butter maltodextrin balls, chives and a generous pinch of Bush Dreams seasoning salt. The cheese course consisted of Roaring Forties strong blue cheese (made by King Island Dairy, which is located south of Melbourne), dehydrated grapes (i.e. homemade raisins on the vine), compressed apples and walnut bread crisps. Pavlova, a meringue-based dessert that’s a part of the national cuisines of both Australia and New Zealand, was created in honour of the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova in the 1920s. This was a crowd favourite and featured passion fruit in different textures: passion fruit curd was topped with passion fruit ice cream and a poached meringue before being surrounded by shards of airy and thin baked meringue. The dessert was something of a palate cleanser, with tart passion fruit pulp, raspberry niblets (fruit separated by liquid nitrogen), passion fruit “pop rocks” and gold. Placko’s reason for including the latter: “because we can.” Dessert prep: some of the ingredients that were used in the cheese and dessert courses by Placko including dehydrated grapes, meringue, passion fruit pop rocks and gold. (The crisp micro-sponges were used in the soup course.) Boozy whisky truffle, stabbed though with a nail “Testosterone”: a whisky cream–filled croquette, musk meringue, “long black” toffee (that’s how one orders espresso in Sydney) and vanilla pipe tobacco ice cream. This was served alongside a wooden pipe filled with a scent Hayes-Alexander created to complement the dessert. The “testosterone” cologne that Hayes-Alexander created. Each diner received a mini-bottle of the manly essence in their take-away gift tins, which also included a package of Australian Tim Tams, Bush Dreams Pepperberry Rub and handmade sweets (fennel lollies and mandarin wafers). Liquid nitrogen–poached wattleseed. Essentially a flash frozen ball of whipped cream studded with nutty wattleseeds. Diners were instructed to eat the two-bite frozen treat as soon as it was served for a crisp meringue exterior and soft ice cream interior. John Placko “poaching” the wattleseed whipped cream balls in liquid nitrogen. The Tim Tam, a.k.a. “Australia’s favourite cookie.” This was the key to the evening closer: the popular “Tim Tam Slam.” The Tim Tam Slam is the practice of drinking a hot beverage, like coffee, through a Tim Tam biscuit (like a straw) with opposite corners nibbled off. The result is a softened biscuit with a warm, creamy chocolate centre. Guests Anthony and Mary Ito share a “slam” moment Cookbook Store manager Alison Fryer Toronto Down Under

]]> http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2012/01/26/toronto-down-under/feed/ 5 12 delicious days of Christmas, from candy cane ice pops to yule logs filled with mousse cake http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/12/16/12-delicious-days-of-christmas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=12-delicious-days-of-christmas http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/12/16/12-delicious-days-of-christmas/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:15:49 +0000 Renée Suen http://www.torontolife.com/daily/?p=108702

This time of year, it takes a strong will not to indulge, whether it be in the beautiful pastries and cakes spilling out of patisserie windows or the drinks at a holiday party. We say, why even try? We’ve rounded up some of our favourites, along with a few other gifts that your food-obsessed friends [...]

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Bannock’s holiday tourtière

This time of year, it takes a strong will not to indulge, whether it be in the beautiful pastries and cakes spilling out of patisserie windows or the drinks at a holiday party. We say, why even try? We’ve rounded up some of our favourites, along with a few other gifts that your food-obsessed friends are sure to love (including one salve for those who’ve indulged just a little too much).

Words and pictures by Renée Suen

The playful creations at Xococava this year include chewy ginger molasses cookies, boozy almond financiers slathered with a rum-spiked sugar glaze, crunchy citrus-pistachio biscotti and chai cranberry butter tarts, all of which go very well with a nice cup of tea. Boxes of chocolate-covered salted tamarind caramels and festive bags of chewy pistachio and cranberry–stuffed túrron (Spanish nougat) make excellent stocking stuffers or hostess gifts. The Kahlua truffles are probably too good to share. Instead of the usual truffle medley, this collection contains the chocolatier’s top four hot chocolate flavours: the popular Mayan (spiced with ginger, vanilla and chili), the rich, indulgent gianduja (Italian hazelnut milk chocolate), a creamy malted milk (which uses single-origin Costa Rican cacao) and A la Taza, a classic, thick Barcelonan hot chocolate scented with cinnamon, vanilla and allspice that’s basically dessert in a mug. Just add hot water or milk to the dry mix and whisk over low heat until smooth. The holidays are busy enough, so leave the baking to the experts. Bannock, the new Oliver and Bonacini restaurant, is selling classic gingerbread men, Scottish shortbreads, gift baskets and pork tourtières at its take-away counter. Using executive chef Anthony Walsh’s family recipe, the tourtière’s flaky pastry is packed with seasoned ground pork and pork shoulder and comfortably feeds six. The heavenly Mexican alfajores are more cakey confections than cookies, with creamy dulce de leche sandwiched between two melt-in-the-mouth cookies, which are coated with a feathery ring of toasted coconut. Spiced stollen, created by O&B Artisan’s head baker David Wilson, is chock full of plump sultanas, cranberries, candied orange rind and a tube of supple marzipan, and covered with a buttery layer of icing sugar. Ontario’s best sparkling wines are emerging as strong alternatives to pricier champagnes. Using 100 per cent chardonnay grapes—a particular strength, given the province’s cool climate and limestone-rich soil—this light, local sparkling from Cave Spring Cellars has warm apple and buttery brioche aromas and a dry, crisp long finish. Great served as an aperitif or with appetizers. The festive yule logs from midtown’s La Bamboche are made with rich and airy mousse-based cakes. The white chocolate mousse cake with Christmas spices and crystallized ginger is set on a gingerbread cookie. The Earl Grey cassis has a blackcurrant cream core that’s surrounded by Earl Grey mousse and a layer of blackcurrant-stained chocolate. Finally, the Decadence de Chocolate has a fresh cream centre enveloped by alternating layers of dark chocolate mousse and chocolate biscuit. To complete the table, pick up a delicate handmade white or dark chocolate tree that’s encrusted with pistachios, cranberries and toasted almonds. As an alternative to champagne (or, more likely, cheap prosecco), consider this seasonal option from Mill Street Brewery. The rich, round and slightly syrupy barley wine has sweet honey aromas and a pleasant hoppy finish. Brewed in January but aged until November, the strong English-style ale (11.5 per cent alcohol) comes in a gorgeous black ceramic bottle and goes well with some very old gouda (as recommended by the Toronto Star’s Josh Rubin). Augie’s ice pops are a light yet intensely flavourful way to end a filling holiday feast. The special holiday lineup includes candy cane Creamsicle (condensed milk, low-fat milk, peppermint extract and crushed candy cane); eggnog-sicle (egg yolks, low-fat milk, cream and nutmeg) and Christmas clementine (clementine and key lime). Nathan Myhrvold’s $625 Modernist Cuisine has inspired many ambitious home cooks to play around with modernist techniques—of course, most of them give up when they see the price tags and counter-space requirements for water baths and immersion circulators. With the Sous Vide Supreme, ordinary chefs can finally have a go at the kind of low-temperature slow cooking that’s become a staple in so many professional kitchens. Simply fill the device with water, set the temperature and timer and submerge the seasoned food in a vacuum-sealed pouch. It’s a consistent, foolproof way of achieving perfectly cooked meats, delicate seafood and fruits and veggies with surprising flavours and textures. Hang around enough chefs long enough and eventually you’ll hear about the Gray Kunz spoon. Designed in the late 1990s by the chef at New York’s Lespinasse and originally only given to chefs who worked in his kitchen, the spoon has a large bowl that holds exactly 2.5 tablespoons of liquid. Its slightly tapered edge makes it ideal for precision work like flipping, saucing a plate or making perfect quenelles, and its nine-inch handle make it very easy to control. From Food Truck Eats to the Toronto Underground Market, everyone has been buzzing about Rossy Earle’s Diablo’s Fuego, a hot sauce that’s more rounded and balanced than tongue numbing. Earle hand-picks a proprietary blend of peppers and combines them with aromatic garlic, scallions, cilantro, parsley and other spices. Tart lemon and cider vinegar give the sauce a mild sharpness, which is mellowed out by fruity olive oil. The handmade sauces are available in 250 mL jars but, if you ask nicely, Santa might just bring a case. Kick up the standard holiday spread with handmade fruit and vegetable pickles from Mississauga’s Edna Fernandes. These versatile condiments feature the flavours of Goa, and can be served as dips, with rice, bread and grilled meats, or spread in sandwiches. The best-selling hot eggplant flavour is made from vegetables purchased from Mississauga farmer’s markets, while the newly launched zucchini special is blended with roasted red pepper. The aromatic and sweet pear chutney uses pears from Fernandes’s own tree. To our ears, Goa-style pear chutney sounds a lot more practical, not to mention more delicious, than a partridge in a pear tree. For those hoping to allay guilt accumulated from too much yuletide indulgence, Belmonte Raw owner Carol Belmonte suggests her juicing cleanse. Depending on the severity of the indulgence, the program can last anywhere from one day to three full weeks. Each day, Belmonte will deliver juices made from organic vegetables and produce, cashew milk for protein, a little coconut water, an elixir and a liver-cleanse tea. Crucially, it also comes with a detailed schedule explaining how and when to consume the various components.

]]> http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/12/16/12-delicious-days-of-christmas/feed/ 0 A visual tour of El Bulli Imitació, Matt Kantor’s epic 22-course homage to Ferran Adrià http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/10/27/food-porn-matt-kantor-el-bulli-imitacio/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=food-porn-matt-kantor-el-bulli-imitacio http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/10/27/food-porn-matt-kantor-el-bulli-imitacio/#comments Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:36:23 +0000 Renée Suen http://www.torontolife.com/daily/?p=99666

If imitation is the greatest form of flattery, then Ferran Adrià—chef and co-owner of the now shuttered El Bulli, a restaurant on Catalonia’s Costa Brava that reigned as the World’s Best for many years—must be feeling the love right now. Since his landmark restaurant closed this summer, a number of chefs have been conducting various [...]

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These parmesan “marshmallows” are actually made of gelatine and olive oil (Image: Renée Suen)

If imitation is the greatest form of flattery, then Ferran Adrià—chef and co-owner of the now shuttered El Bulli, a restaurant on Catalonia’s Costa Brava that reigned as the World’s Best for many years—must be feeling the love right now. Since his landmark restaurant closed this summer, a number of chefs have been conducting various tributes, including Matt Kantor of Little Kitchen and Secret Pickle Supper Club, who hosted a three-night El Bulli-based menu at The Cookbook Store. The El Bulli Imitació menu came in at an impressive 22-courses—including snacks, tapas, main plates, desserts and “morphs” —spanning over two decades of the restaurant’s history. The four-and-a-half-hour affair was also the maiden voyage of The Cookbook Store’s brand new kitchen studio, a 29-year dream of store manager Alison Fryer (it also doubles as a showroom for home renovation outfit Rosemill Development Inc., which built the kitchen). Kantor told us he hoped to inspire diners to think of ordinary foods in a new light. “It was fun, tiring and frustrating, but worth it,” he said. “I wanted everything to be perfect. I think we did a pretty good job.” After the jump, our slideshow with pictures of each dish and some of the machines behind them, along with a few shots of the appreciative crowd.

Start the slideshow »

The Cookbook Store’s shiny new kitchen studio, custom built by Rosemill Development Inc. The space will act as a showroom and host future culinary-focused events. In addition to Matt Kantor, Michael Chartrand and John Placko also stepped up to the (virtual) stove. Twelve diners quick enough on their emails to score tickets to the event were served Kantor’s 22-course menu. Most brought their cameras (or camera phones) along for the ride. The hosts of the evening: chef Matt Kantor (Little Kitchen, Secret Pickle Supper Club), Alison Fryer (The Cookbook Store) and Tony Briganti (Rosemill Development Inc.) Warm caipi-mojito (appeared on El Bulli’s menu in 2011): the aromatic cocktail involved steeping mint leaves in warm cachaça (normally used in caipirinhas), which was decanted tableside into glasses with fresh mint and lime (as in Mojitos) Almonds with fried curry (2005): a nod to El Bulli’s simpler foods, these marcona almonds were tossed in egg whites and then curry powder before being baked. Iberian sandwich (2003): a twist on a tapas favourite, these were hollow pita pocket–like flatbreads wrapped with Ibérico ham. Parmesan marshmallow (2009): the spongy loose milk-based “marshmallow” is actually made of gelatine and olive oil, set and cut into cubes before being rolled in parmesan cheese and dusted with nutmeg. Oreo, black olive with double cream (2005): this table favourite featured a pair of bright, briny olive cookies sandwiching loose, milky double cream. Hot-Frozen Gin Fizz (2011): the two-layered lemony cocktail featured an icy and sweet gin-based drink topped with a warm white foam made from lemon-infused 68-degree egg. This one was much talked about during the first flight of snacks. Avocado chips with crab (1991): thimble-sized bites of shredded crab wrapped with a thin layer of slightly under-ripe avocado. “Wrapping foods with other foods is a thing Adrià likes to do,” explained Kantor. Popcorn with Reypenaer cheese and nutmeg (2005): This is one dish that can actually be replicated at home—it’s just microwaved butter popcorn that’s topped with savoury Reypenaer cheese before being baked (one attendee called it “Gourmet Smart Pop”) Pipetas of cream and mushroom (2001): an interactive course where guests were instructed to squeeze the warm cream-filled bulb of the Pasteur pipette (pipeta in Spanish) as they consumed the meaty grilled king oyster mushroom threaded at the end of its shaft. Sometimes the process of consumption is just as important (or at least as fun) as the food itself. Here the group bonded over the pipetas. Spherical mozzarella (2005): The first of the tapas plates, this “encapsulated” Ontario Burrata looks like a skinless ravioli, but hides a liquid gush of mild cream that’s been blended with the milky cheese. Evolution of the hot ‘tortilla de patatas Marc Singla’ foam (1998): a deconstructed version of Spain’s national dish. Caramelized onions are topped with a rich sabayon and airy egg white potato foam. Scallops, yogurt, curry, peanuts and apricots (1997): seared scallops sided with various complementary bits and bobs. Ajo blanco (1996) – white gazpacho (aka the other gazpacho) retooled: almonds, garlic, almond sorbet, garlic and almond balsamic. Caviar of melon with Serrano ham broth (2003): ham consommé poured tableside into a champagne flute over pearls of Orbitz-like melon caviar. The collagenous drink incited intense feelings of nostalgia at the table (everything from mom’s cooking to childhood memories of Hong Kong). White asparagus with hot mayonnaise (2001): a tender spear of white asparagus was served with grapefruit and hot mayonnaise squeezed out of an iSi whip. Tagliatelle of saffron consommé with caviar and lemon (2001): this course featured the fresh and bright flavours of lemon and slightly salty caviar on tender-crisp agar noodles made from saffron soup. Potato gnocchi with potato skin consommé (2004): a puffy potato “gnocchi” encapsulation and a butter- and cream-infused potato skin broth. Swallow’s nest with coconut and grapefruit (2003): Instead of a traditional swallow’s nest (an Asian delicacy used in dessert soups), diners were served a tangle of agar noodles that looked like a nest, bathed in coconut milk and grapefruit. Sesame sponge cake with miso (2009): mild and moist microwaved sponge cake served torn with thick smears of miso for a slightly sweet and savoury dish. Chef John Placko of Maple Leaf Foods assisted Kantor on all three evenings. Placko not only helped, but brought various pieces of Modernist Cuisine–style equipment, like this anti-griddle that can freeze items down to -30 degrees Teppan nitro-frozen soursop cream with coffee caviar (2004): soursop fruit infused into an ice cream-like base, frozen on the anti-griddle then topped with nutty chia seeds that have been rehydrated and steeped in espresso The soursop cream on the anti-griddle Apple (2007): brown butter sponge cake paired with yogurt, apple sorbet, honey, cinnamon and a single blueberry. This was the first of the dessert courses. A microwave was used to make the sponge cake in this course. Earth (2005): A unanimous favourite amongst the evening’s diners. This plate featured powdered yogurt, peach and cocoa with candied hazelnuts made to resemble dirt, along with a truffle boulder (35 per cent milk chocolate ice cream that was flash frozen on the anti-griddle) and chocolate sorbet. The crumbly mixture melted in the mouth. Pineapple infused with fennel and star anise (2005): a mignardise of sorts that refreshed the palate after 21 courses. The dedicated crew responsible for the evening’s experience. From left to right: Esther MacWilliam (server), Michael Chartrand (chef), Alison Fryer (venue host, The Cookbook Store), Matt Kantor (chef, Little Kitchen and Secret Pickle Supper Club), John Placko (chef, Maple Leaf Foods), James Rush (dishwasher, aka “hero”), Tony Briganti (Rosemill Development Inc.) and Michelle Rabin (server). Matt Kantor The night’s menu

]]> http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/10/27/food-porn-matt-kantor-el-bulli-imitacio/feed/ 5 Fish, meet citrus: a tour of some of Toronto’s most alluring ceviche dishes http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/06/13/10-ceviches/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=10-ceviches http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/06/13/10-ceviches/#comments Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:53:12 +0000 Renée Suen http://www.torontolife.com/daily/?p=72544

Sushi, the star of a previous edition of our Food Porn series, is far from the only raw fish game in town. Ceviche, the Latin American standby that relies on acid from citrus fruits to cure fresh fish, bivalves or cephalopods, is also well represented. While some Toronto chefs stick to tried-and-true preparations for “cooking” [...]

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Milagro’s ceviche de pulpo (Image: Renée Suen)

Sushi, the star of a previous edition of our Food Porn series, is far from the only raw fish game in town. Ceviche, the Latin American standby that relies on acid from citrus fruits to cure fresh fish, bivalves or cephalopods, is also well represented. While some Toronto chefs stick to tried-and-true preparations for “cooking” their catch, others transform the already magical dish—believed to have originated in Peru—with surprising inventions. Either way, we recommend enjoying with a cold beer. Here, 10 of the city’s most delicious and alluring ceviche dishes.

Start the tour »

Although inspired by the cantinas of their native Mexico City, brothers Arturo and Andrés Anhalt have created a ceviche dish with some decidedly non-traditional twists, like the tender octopus that’s been braised for an hour and a half. Forgoing the standard red-white-green theme of most Mexican ceviches, lime juice–marinated tentacles are tangled up with red onion, tomatillo, cilantro and smoky chipotles in adobo paste, all doused with a hearty dose of Spanish olive oil. The flavourful mix is piled high over shredded lettuce—an edible strainer—and served in typical cantina style with a package of saltines and a lime wedge. It’s even better when chased with a bottle of Negra Modelo and fresh lime juice. $11.95/medium, pictured; $16.25/large. Milagro, 5 Mercer St., 416-850-2855, milagrorestaurant.com. Chris McDonald’s buttery smoked kingfish ceviche uses diced tomatoes and bright kumquat zest to cut through firm and slightly salty kingfish that’s been bathed in a light citrus marinade. Fruity extra-virgin olive oil helps bind the components together while fresh house-fried tortilla chips and a delightful frisée salad lighten the palate. $13.50. Cava, 1560 Yonge St., 416-979-9918, cavarestaurant.ca. Chef Luis Valenzuela salt-cures meaty Georgian Bay bass, then cooks the diced flesh in lime juice and olive oil. The milky-white nuggets end up with a scallop-like texture and stand out against the red onions, cilantro, sweet corn kernels and crunchy cancha (inflated corn nuts). Served with paper-thin sweet potato chips, this Peruvian- and Ecuadorian-inspired dish uses sustainable ingredients sourced from suppliers that treat their workers fairly. $10. Torito, 276 Augusta Ave., 416-961-7373, toritorestaurant.com. Some might balk at the thought of Asian–Latin American fusion, but David Lee’s pretty floral ceviche, arriving on a bed of crushed ice, actually works. Corn nuts provide a salty crunch against silky strips of lime-marinated hamachi (yellowtail) and almost grassy chunks of still-firm avocado. The sweet, buttery fish is seasoned with cilantro and finely minced jalapeños, the latter’s heat quelled by a golden pool of olive oil and coconut milk. $16. Nota Bene, 180 Queen St. W., 416-977-6400, notabenerestaurant.com. This Peruvian outpost serves two types of lemon-marinated ceviches, both based on a time-honoured recipe. The first and more popular version features dense filets of basa (Asian catfish) that have been briefly cooked in lemon, salt and garlic before being tossed with finely sliced celery, red and white onion slivers and chopped parsley. Keeping with tradition, the mountain of fish comes with chunks of cooked corn cobs and thick slices of sweet and regular potato. Spice fiends can ask the kitchen to pre-season their ceviche with their fiery chili-garlic dip, but take heed: it’s tongue-searingly hot. $14.95. El Fogon, 543 St. Clair Ave. W., 416-850-8041, elfogon.ca. The mixed seafood ceviche at this mid-town restaurant named after Frida Kahlo is a smoky, mouth-watering affair. Chef Jose Hadad separately prepares meaty shrimp, velvety sheets of sliced sea scallops and creamy poached mussels in a vibrant lime juice marinade laced with chili oil. Finely minced tomato, red onion and bell pepper are a visual nod to Mexico’s national colours: red, white and green. Thin curls of homemade potato chips are an inventive alternative to the usual crackers. $16. Frida, 999 Eglinton Ave. W., 416-787-2221, fridarestaurant.ca. Claudio Aprile uses modern culinary techniques to construct this off-menu hors d’oeuvre, which uses the same sweet-spicy Thai flavours as his seared scallop course. Beads of finger lime pulp deliver a caviar-like pop and crunch, while the yuzu-ponzu vinaigrette echoes the mild citrus zing of the bivalve’s grapefruit juice marinade. But the liquid nitrogen frozen crème fraiche pearls steal the show, creating a luxurious sauce as they gradually melt into the tiny pool of coconut milk that lines the scallop shell. A deseeded chili ring, cornflower blossom and Thai basil brighten the canvas with pings of colour. Colborne Lane, 45 Colborne St. (at Leader Ln.), 416-368-9009, colbornelane.com. Tom Thai sticks with the cool-and-spicy formula, seasoning his lightly seared B.C. scallops with peppery grilled jalapeño and shimeji chili powder. A slightly bitter dollop of kumquat jam crowns each fleshy, olive oil–slicked medallion, and the whole thing is buried under a tower of chopped scallions, organic micro-greens and popcorn shoots with a soy-reduction dressing. The result is a dish that’s fragrant, sweet, grassy and hot. $15. Foxley, 207 Ossington Ave., 416-534-8520. Named after owner Sylvia Llewellyn’s mother, this kitschy 14-year-old grocery-store-turned-restaurant is popular with those seeking a taste of Havana. Julie’s no-fuss ceviche features marlin cooked in freshly squeezed lime, orange and red grapefruit juice. The fragrant fish mingles with crisp red onions, plump corn kernels, bell peppers and parsley. The mild ceviche is finished with a tiny touch of chili and stacked high over a cool bed of chopped tomatoes. $8.95. Julie's Cuban Restaurant, 202 Dovercourt Rd., 416-532-7397, juliescuban.com. Toronto’s only Nicaraguan restaurant serves a ceviche mixto with firm diced shrimps and cod. The confetti of lime juice–marinated seafood is mixed with crisp bell peppers, red onions and cilantro, then served with ribbons of fresh fried plantain chips and sliced avocado. It’s a loose and refreshing starter that satisfies both mouths and wallets. Particularly refreshing when washed down with a glass of cold orange-cantaloupe juice. $9.25. La Bella Managua, 872 Bloor St. W., 416-913-4227, bellamanagua.foodpages.ca.

]]> http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/06/13/10-ceviches/feed/ 0 Just in time for Easter, a photographic tour of Toronto’s exceptional—and unusual—egg creations http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/04/20/a-photographic-tour-of-torontos-most-unusual-eggy-creations/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-photographic-tour-of-torontos-most-unusual-eggy-creations http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/04/20/a-photographic-tour-of-torontos-most-unusual-eggy-creations/#comments Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:47:34 +0000 Renée Suen http://www.torontolife.com/daily/?p=66182

Nutrient-dense, endlessly versatile, yet Platonically simple, eggs are truly one of nature’s perfect foods. While many chefs consign the simple orbs to breakfast servitude, others in Toronto bring them front and centre, whether in traditional dishes or more innovative concoctions. Here, 10 of the city’s most beautiful and delicious egg dishes. Start the tour »

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Soignée Catering’s deconstructed BLT features a perfect 64-degree egg

Nutrient-dense, endlessly versatile, yet Platonically simple, eggs are truly one of nature’s perfect foods. While many chefs consign the simple orbs to breakfast servitude, others in Toronto bring them front and centre, whether in traditional dishes or more innovative concoctions. Here, 10 of the city’s most beautiful and delicious egg dishes.

Start the tour »

Amirsina Derakhshan and Kevin Jeung of Soignée Catering bring modern culinary techniques to classic French and Italian cuisine, creating innovative dishes. Their take on the BLT stars a 64-degree egg, a Berkshire pork belly cooked sous vide for 36 hours, buttery grilled brioche toast and tomato confit. Ruffles of micro sorrel and lemon vinaigrette–dressed frisée cut through the richness of the salt-kissed egg and pork; Kozlik’s triple-crunch mustard and charred scallion oil pull the distinct components together. Menus start at $35 per person for a three-course meal. Soignée Catering, 416-419-9880, soigneecatering.com. Named after the Roman goddess of the hunt, chef Didier Leroy’s creation nestles a fresh egg between gossamer layers of a venison bone–pepper sauce and lightly seared cubes of Quebec venison. Expert timing ensures that the soft-baked yolk remains golden and just oozy enough to mingle with the tender meat and decadent sauce. The luxurious course is topped with a slice of black truffle and pairs well with a Côtes du Rhône red. Served as a pair as a first-course option on the restaurant’s three-course event menu, $60–75. Didier, 1496 Yonge St., 416-925-8588, restaurantdidier.com. This Shanghainese classic may be reminiscent of the everyday fritter, but Asian Legend’s fried dough is more like an eggy sponge. A semi-sweet red bean paste core is surrounded by a cornstarch-and-flour-stabilized egg-white soufflé before being deep-fried and dusted with sugar. Make sure to order this first when placing your order; the dramatic dessert requires extra time to prepare. $6.95/four, $9.95/eight. Asian Legend, 418 Dundas St. W. (and five other locations), 416-977-3909, asianlegend.ca. Claudio Aprile reinvents this dowdy hors d’oeuvre by refilling cool hard-boiled egg whites with a mixture of creamy aïoli and smooth yolks that have been put through a tamis sieve. Crispy rice puffs, crunchy crystals of salt, fresh basil and orange zest all pop against the silky backdrop, while the shard of double-smoked compressed bacon is what all rashers aspire to be. $4/pair. Origin, 107 King St. E., 416-603-8009, origintoronto.com. Traditionally, tea eggs are sold by street vendors in Asia, but the fragrant, protein-rich snack is also found on select menus in the GTA. Most tea eggs take on a marbled appearance (the shell of the hard-boiled egg is cracked before the whole thing is stewed in a soy sauce brine), but in Ten Ren’s deeply stained version, both the loose white and tender, moist yolk are completely infused with heady flavours from the braising liquid (made from seasoned Iron Goddess tea). $1. Ten Ren’s Tea Time, Unit 101, 111 Times Ave., Thornhill, 905-881-8896, tenrenstea.com/teatime. Donna Dooher’s cheeky, Dr. Seuss–inspired brunch dish showcases velvety scrambled eggs stained with puréed spinach. The free-range eggs are paired with seared country ham and a light salad of sherry vinaigrette–dressed frisée, heirloom carrot curls, boiled red potatoes and fresh herbs. The plate is set to retire from the Mildred’s brunch menu soon, so get it while it’s hot. $11. Mildred’s Temple Kitchen, 85 Hanna Ave., 416-588-5695, templekitchen.com. “I thought they would be cuter than regular pickled eggs,” chef Joan Olsen says of the pop-in-your-mouth bites at Swirl. Olsen takes quail eggs from Cro Quail Farms in St. Anns, boils them, shells them and pickles them in a white wine vinegar flavoured with garlic, allspice berries, cayenne pepper and bay leaves. The results? Perfect, tender little white orbs with a slight sweetness and a delicate yolk. $1. Swirl Wine Bar, 946 ½ Queen St. E., 647-351-5453, swirltoronto.com. Sitting on the borderlands of sweet and savoury, the kabocha pumpkin croquette at Guu is like a vegetarian version of a Scotch egg. A shelled, boiled egg is wrapped in a thick layer of moist kobacha pumpkin, given a light panko crust and then deep-fried. The result is an aromatic golden ball that comes blanketed in a blend of mayo and tangy tonkatsu sauce. Best appreciated with mug of Sapporo. $4.80. Guu Izakaya, 398 Church St., 416-977-0999, guu-izakaya.com. Chiu Chow Boy’s braised eggs—simmered in a lo shui marinade made from soy sauce, shaoxing wine, stock, rock sugar, scallions, ginger and star anise—are pure comfort. The master sauce develops tremendous body as it is reused and replenished over time, much like the mother of a sourdough starter. Chiu Chow Boy’s base is over 10 years old, and it gives the firmly set eggs a deep and deliciously meaty flavour. $1. Chiu Chow Boy, 3261 Kennedy Rd., 416-335-0336. ABC’s Hong Kong–style egg tart puts the rest of the city’s Chinese bakeries to shame—no overly sweet filling packed into a chalky flat shell here. Instead, ABC’s tarts are tender, golden puff-pastry confections filled with quivering, just-sweet-enough egg custard. Freshly baked tarts fly off the shelves. The first tray is pulled from the oven daily at 9:30 a.m., but fear not: the stock is constantly replenished throughout the day. $0.85/tart. ABC Bakery Shop, 3618 Victoria Park Ave., 416-493-3151.

]]> http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/04/20/a-photographic-tour-of-torontos-most-unusual-eggy-creations/feed/ 2 Soup’s on: a gallery of Toronto’s 13 most comforting (and beautiful) bowls http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/03/02/soup%e2%80%99s-on-a-gallery-of-toronto%e2%80%99s-13-most-comforting-and-beautiful-bowls/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=soup%25e2%2580%2599s-on-a-gallery-of-toronto%25e2%2580%2599s-13-most-comforting-and-beautiful-bowls http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/03/02/soup%e2%80%99s-on-a-gallery-of-toronto%e2%80%99s-13-most-comforting-and-beautiful-bowls/#comments Wed, 02 Mar 2011 15:57:28 +0000 Renée Suen http://www.torontolife.com/daily/?p=57758

With frigid winter slowly giving way to soggy spring, the best way to keep warm remains to tuck into hearty broths, soups and stews. And while they appear on almost every menu, only a few rise above the ordinary. Here are thirteen feasts for the eyes, nose and stomach that melt our soup-loving hearts.

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Chef David Lee tweaks an old favourite with this pretty starter. A mouth-watering and intense smoked chicken broth is dusted with sweet goji berries, moist shredded meat and a potpourri of edible flowers, coriander and sliced gai lan (Chinese broccoli). Tear-shaped pasta in pale browns and greens sit like pebbles at the base of the eye-catching broth, while lime and chili provide the namesake flavours. $10. A specialty of this Cabbagetown gem is the khao soi: lean braised beef and egg noodles nestled in a rich yellow curry made of chicken stock and coconut milk. While the beef’s star anise and cinnamon marinade gives the protein character, it is the textural contrast between the crisp mountain of fried egg noodles and the gravy-soaked noodle bed that has our mouths singing. A squirt of lime juice brightens the thick stew and lightens the palate. $10.25 Chef Teo Paul’s take on the classic tomato soup may be inspired by childhood memories of Campbell’s condensed soup, but his is looser and more refined. Slightly tart canned tomatoes are combined with sweet onions, garlic and a touch of salt before being puréed and strained. A drizzle of olive oil finishes the ultra-smooth soup, which is accompanied by wedges of buttery grilled cheese, made with Harbord Bakery challah and P.E.I. cheddar. $8 at lunch, $9 at dinner Frank’s house-made and season-conscious soups rotate frequently, but a perennial favourite is chef de cuisine Martha Wright’s parsnip with apple chutney. Sweet pears, parsnips and onions are cooked, puréed and sieved to create a velvety, dairy-free soup base; its neutral palette contrasts with a delightful mix of caramelized onions, apples, golden raisins and dried cranberries. The completely vegetarian soup is finished with a touch of cream (which can be left out for vegans), and served with a pappadum rosette—a nod to the AGO’s current Maharaja exhibition. $9 The Han brothers’ signature dish is a two-part DIY affair that’s as fun as it is delicious. Named for the sound made by dragging paper-thin slices of beef or seafood and market fresh vegetables—shimeji, enoki and king oyster mushrooms, zucchini, napa cabbage, Shanghai and baby bok choy—through hot beef bone broth, the dish is cooked on a tabletop burner and served with homemade sauces, including a zingy lemon-ginger soy sauce spiked with pineapple-juice mustard. Diners end the meal by cooking homemade potato-starch noodles or sesame oil–spiked jook (a risotto-like porridge made with short-grain rice and an egg) in the broth left in brass pot. $15-$20 at lunch, $25-$30 at dinner This chef’s special is also known as #177, but the mì quảng would be just as delicious by any other name. Ample curls of pork, parboiled shrimp and tangles of soft egg noodles swim in a complex turmeric-stained pork bone soup. Sweet golden-fried shallots, crushed peanuts and thick sesame seed rice crackers provide crunch, while fistfuls of sliced green and white onion add kick. $8 One-bowl meals are the stock-in-trade of this Entertainment District mainstay. Expert saucier Ravi Kanagarajah, best known for his innovative soups, infuses the traditional belly-warming corn chowder with hints of ginger and Thai curry paste. The creamless, nut-free and vegetable stock–based soup is finished to order with a tumble of fresh shredded crab meat, crisp fried shallots and Thai basil, then sided by a flaky warm cheddar biscuit. $8.99 This traditional Korean stew is available at four spice levels and served in a cast iron shell that ensures the contents stay hot. A raw egg is cracked and left to poach in a kimchee-laced broth, with a single small shrimp and clam frolicking in the bubbling waves. Stir the pot to find creamy heaps of silken tofu hidden below the soup’s chilli oil–slicked surface. An assortment of side dishes joins a stone bowl of steamed rice to complete this cheap and filling feast. $6.95 Chef Scott Woods’s version of the cheese-laden classic is anything but standard. Silky duck consommé is fortified with Shaoxing wine, sherry, sweet roasted garlic and onions, then poured tableside over rich duck-leg confit, julienned cured duck breast and gizzards. Meanwhile, a veal jus–brushed sourdough chip acts as a golden raft that keeps crisp fried leeks and an aged cheese tuile dry. A creamy slice of foie gras, Thunder Oak gouda froth and a blistered cipollini onion add body and nutty depth to the savoury broth. The full-bodied soup is a cacophony of textures, but harmonious in flavour, brimming with mouth-watering aromas and great visual appeal. It’s even better with a glass of Riesling. $12 Everybody’s tutti matti (crazy, that is) about Chef Alida Solomon’s no-fuss, hearty ribollita. The soup is made from organic Tuscan black winter cabbage and mirepoix sourced from Holland Marsh, as well as creamy cannellini beans, and is thickened by bread and potato. Its name refers to its reboiled nature, which builds upon a mother soup over a 3–4 day period. The rosemary and thyme–finished ribollita is ladled over thick slices of grilled garlic–rubbed sourdough miche from Fred’s Bread, then christened with raw red onions and a healthy drizzle of olive oil. Part of the $15 prix fixe lunch menu, $12 at dinner. The secret to this popular hot course is in its preparation: Chef Luis Valenzuela sautés mirepoix with garlic in chorizo fat before adding chestnuts, chestnut water, cumin and a hint of tomato paste. All the familiar flavours of the thick peasant soup are retained, but enriched with the locally made chorizo and chunks of roasted chestnuts. The result is uncommonly aromatic and comforting. $8 This Leslieville haunt is known for a flavourful beef noodle soup from Huế, Vietnam’s imperial capital, that bathes round rice noodles and shaved rare sirloin beef. Here, beef broth is enriched by stir-fried lemongrass, ginger, star anise and a scoop of pungent shrimp paste. The result is a light, yet satisfying, one-bowl meal that is topped with cilantro, green onions and Vietnamese basil. Bean sprouts and lime may be added to taste. $9.50 One glance is all you need to see that the split pea soup is one of the more popular items at this North York institution—there’s a bowl on nearly every table. The humble milk- and meat-free soup is thickened by green split peas and laced with parsley and sweet feathery dill. Strands of egg noodles float amongst diced carrots, celery and onion in this simple and crowd-pleasing number. $3.99
]]> http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/03/02/soup%e2%80%99s-on-a-gallery-of-toronto%e2%80%99s-13-most-comforting-and-beautiful-bowls/feed/ 0 A photographic tour of Toronto’s unique sushi and sashimi experiences http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/01/14/food-porn-a-photographic-tour-of-toronto%e2%80%99s-unique-sushi-and-sashimi-experiences/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=food-porn-a-photographic-tour-of-toronto%25e2%2580%2599s-unique-sushi-and-sashimi-experiences http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/01/14/food-porn-a-photographic-tour-of-toronto%e2%80%99s-unique-sushi-and-sashimi-experiences/#comments Fri, 14 Jan 2011 19:41:42 +0000 Renée Suen http://www.torontolife.com/daily/?p=52261

If Bloor Street and Queen West are any indication, Toronto is flooded with a sea of all-you-can-eat restaurants serving raw fish with or without vinegared rice. Most provide a quick fix, but only a handful of establishments in this city promise unique experiences that will satisfy all senses. Here are nine gorgeous examples, from the delicate and rare to the dramatically innovative.

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It’s not exactly a vacation to Tsukiji, but at least a visit to chef Johnny Zhenge’s Kokyo will help you save for a trip to the real deal. Here, the sweet and meaty spot prawns are three times the size of their sweet shrimp cousins, and the crunchy tsubu-gai clam tastes like fresh seawater. Other delicacies include herring flesh pressed with crisp herring roe and monkfish liver that earns its designation as foie gras of the sea. $2.50–$3.50 per piece. Chef Bruce Bu takes pride in the details, from his house-made miso and soy sauce to his meticulously crafted array of nigiri sushi. Bu torches scored ends to give silky squid fillets texture and depth, and tops sea eel with fried seaweed. Other thoughtful surprises include using spicy yuzu pepper paste to cut through the fat of the red sea bream snapper, aromatic fried leeks that add sweetness to B.C. albacore tuna, and topping fluke with grated daikon, scallions and a yuzu-ponzu jelly. $6–$20 per pair of conventional and customized nigiri; $70 per person for the omakase for two (sushi course pictured). Leslieville’s Sushi Marché operates as a takeout shop, but chef John Lee’s competitively priced and well-composed products are anything but humdrum. In his signature special maki, Lee, who trained under Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, wraps spicy salmon with crisp tempura bits, cucumber and fish roe in rice and nori. All orders are accompanied by decorative elements, like shiso flowers or orchids. Ample vegetarian options. Delivery available. $7 per roll (five pieces); omakase platters start at $60 for two. Leave all decisions up to chef Mitsuhiro Kaji when partaking of the omakase dinner at his namesake restaurant. The multi-course meal starts with a parade of cooked courses followed by some of the country’s best sushi and sashimi. On one occasion, we were greeted with pressed oshizushi (brick-shaped sushi); on another, loose thimbles of warm vinegared rice were topped with feathery minced tuna belly, crisp herring roe with bonito flakes and barbecued eel finished with unagi sauce and fine omelette threads. $80–$120. Chef Ken Zhang may be new to the Annex’s sushi row, but his aim is to elevate neighbourhood standards by offering affordable omakase experiences. Diners enjoy eight seasonally inspired dishes from both kitchen and sushi bar that go beyond Bloor Street’s usual rundown of teriyaki chicken and California rolls. Of the fish-focused plates, we were drawn to a perfect tower of tuna tartare with tiny edible shiso flowers. A quick blast from a butane torch gives the lemon- and soy sauce–seasoned fish complexity in aroma and flavour. Mixing the diced tuna with a raw quail egg creates a silky finish. Omakase requests should be made a week in advance. $70 per person. There are a few reasons why chef John Lee’s creations are easy to swallow. He applies contemporary techniques to traditional Japanese ingredients—think white tuna in garlic oil confit or slicked with house-smoked soy sauce and sweet chili—and 90 per cent of Omi’s menu uses sustainable fish. Bite-sized sushi pizzas feature flame-licked Hokkaido scallops over panko-crusted sushi rice. They are topped with flying fish roe, Kewpie mayo (Japan’s most popular brand), fresh grated ginger and scallions. Roasted garlic oil harmoniously binds all the elements. $8.95. Serious Japanophiles head to this local treasure to sample the only known traditional kaiseki in North America. Chef Masaki Hashimoto expertly prepares the finest ingredients, sourced locally or imported from Japan, in ways that enhance their natural characteristics and find balance between taste, texture and aesthetics. One of the nine seasonally driven courses pairs sculpted pickled vegetables and mirin-braised tree seeds with delicate porgy. Fresh grated wasabi and house-blended soy sauce accompany the dish, which is served on a platter that, like the food, reflects the season. $300 per person. Challenge sense and senses with bites of hamachi that are marinated in calamansi vinaigrette and served with such Asian-inspired components as sliced scallions, pickled ginger, puffed tapioca chips and black sesame powder. Avocado and cauliflower purées complement the dense and buttery fish while adding dramatic visual impact. Compressed cucumber spears, radish rounds and cress from Cookstown Greens are the final tweezer-set finishes. $17. Chirashizushi, the traditional Japanese dish of sushi rice mixed with various ingredients, rises to new heights at this Scarborough gem. Chef Kosuke Oi tops a bowl of rice with an assortment of fresh fish, including velvety sea urchin, sweet shrimp and a whimsical wasabi mayo–dotted tuna temarizushi (ball-shaped sushi). Also in the bowl: slices of snapper, squid, octopus and salmon. The real surprise lies between two layers of sushi rice: a thin omelette blanketing warm fillets of barbecued eel made more fragrant by minty kinome leaves. $35 per set; includes tea, seaweed salad and a slice of cake. ]]> http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2011/01/14/food-porn-a-photographic-tour-of-toronto%e2%80%99s-unique-sushi-and-sashimi-experiences/feed/ 2 Holiday Gift Guide: 13 edible present ideas http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2010/12/08/holiday-gift-guide-14-edible-present-ideas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=holiday-gift-guide-14-edible-present-ideas http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2010/12/08/holiday-gift-guide-14-edible-present-ideas/#comments Wed, 08 Dec 2010 18:12:06 +0000 Renée Suen http://www.torontolife.com/daily/?p=49231

We prefer to pass the holiday season by eating our way through it and forcing loved ones to do the same. So we’ve come up with 13 inventive edible gifts (and not a mini-muffin basket in sight).

See our foodie gift guide now >>

Meticulous cooks will appreciate how Alice Medrich organizes recipes by their texture in Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies ($32), and the nostalgic will enjoy The Gourmet Cookie Book: The Single Best Recipe From Each Year: 1941-2009 ($23), which curates 69 years of cultural history through cookies. The Cookbook Store, 850 Yonge St., 416-920-2665. Throw in a bag of cakey gingerbread cookies from Toronto’s Mad Batter Bakers for good measure (and inspiration). Mad Batter Bakers, 135 Jefferson Ave., 416-516-4759. For 11 years, Kim Flintoft has been making Maple Rush, Rush Creek’s signature dessert wine. A winner of multiple international awards, the full-bodied amber nectar is made entirely from Ontario maple syrup. 375 mL bottle $25.30; 12 bottles $303.60 and can be shipped anywhere in Canada. 519-773-5432, rushcreekwines.com. Generic toffees pale in comparison to Grant Street’s chewy-soft homemade treats. The buttery-rich nuggets are made with organic ingredients and wrapped in old-fashioned parchment. The country bar comes with a pouch of Murray River salt; the crunchy flakes are a perfect foil to the sticky sweetness. Three pieces $3; 13 pieces $12; uncut bar $12; larger orders available by request. Evergreen Brick Works Farmers’ Market, 550 Bayview Ave.; grantstcaramelco.com. A gift basket gets an original and Canadian touch with ingredients—birch syrup, grainy wild mustard, morels, elderberry jelly, lingonberry compote and pickled milkweed pods (a plump alternative to capers)—that are making their way onto the menus of the world’s top restaurants. Holiday basket $100. 1-877-354-9453, wildfoods.ca; Dufferin Grove Farmers’ Market, 875 Dufferin St.; Evergreen Brick Works Farmers’ Market, 550 Bayview Ave.; Green Barn Farmers' Market, Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St. Debbie Weston makes her yummy baked goodies to suit dietary restrictions in a peanut-free kitchen. The rum-soaked fruitcake is gluten-free ($10–$25), crumbly Scottish shortbreads are sugar-free ($10 per dozen), and ginger-cayenne cookies are dairy-free (18 cookies $6). Prices vary. Pusateri’s, 1539 Avenue Rd., 416-785-9100; grandmadebs.com. Nude Bee’s raw, unpasteurized honey is sourced from independent beekeepers in Guelph. We like the thick and creamy Star Thistle with hints of vanilla and butterscotch. From $8. A portion of the proceeds go to support Canadian Honey Council’s Save Our Bees campaign. Schefflers, 93 Front St. E., 416-364-2806; McEwan, 38 Karl Fraser Rd., 416-444-6262; The Big Carrot, 348 Danforth Ave., 416-466-2129; nudebee.ca. This dense fruit bread is made from a recipe that Marc Thuet confesses to stealing during his time in Dresden. Thuet adds gewürztraminer-saturated raisins and walnuts, candied citrus peel, spices and marzipan to a yeast-risen dough. The rich loaf keeps well after being drenched in melted butter and coated with a generous layer of icing sugar. $21. Petite Thuet, 1162 Yonge St., 416-924-2777; 244 King St. E., 416-519-4847. This inventive box of chocolates comes with directions on how to pair each square (there are four flavours) with the perfect cheese. White chocolate with fennel pollen is for soft-ripened cheeses, while milk chocolate with black olive goes with goat cheeses. $25. Xococava, 1560 Yonge St., 416-979-9916. Suitable for dinner parties, the hearty loaf is based on world-renowned Poilâne bread (which Holt Renfrew flies in from Paris) using head baker David Wilson’s riesling levain. The dough contains spring water, whole rye, wheat and Stoddart’s spelt flours. $18. Order must be placed two days in advance. O&B Canteen, 330 King St. W., 647-288-4710. Arnie Hengstler has been catching and hand packing his line of gourmet wild seafood since 1992. Six salmon species—including full-bodied sockeye and red spring—and number 1 grade albacore tuna, Pacific oysters and scallops are lightly smoked. $6–$9. The Healthy Butcher, 565 Queen St. W., 416-703-2164; thefishery.ca. This sparkler is aged for two years and made following traditional Champagne methods with a mix of pinot and chardonnay grapes. Baked apple flavours and buttery brioche aromas are a mouth-watering combination; tight bubbles and a clean, citrusy finish refresh and delight. $30. LCBO Vintages 183228; grangeofprinceedward.com. The four-tiered Venetian delicacy is made of thick flaky-crisp pastries (they come in vanilla, raspberry, cinnamon and chocolate) dusted with icing sugar. Warning: it’s extremely addictive. Available in 300 g and 1 kg. $14–$24. Bruno’s Fine Foods, various locations; Galati Market Fresh, 5801 Leslie St., 416-756-2000; vicenzas-crostoli.com. Subscribers to Monforte’s Renaissance 2010 plan receive locally produced cheese, preserves, charcuterie and baked goods over a five-year period. Three subscription plans are available ($200, $500 and $1,000) and are redeemable as vouchers to exchange for cheese and comestibles at local markets or as twice-annual gift baskets delivered to the door (valued at $250 to $1,500). monfortedairy.com/monforte-subscription-offering.html.

See our other gift guides:

• 33 gifts under $30 >>

• 33 gifts under $100 >>

• 34 gifts over $100 >>

• 25 gifts you can buy on-line >>

]]> http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2010/12/08/holiday-gift-guide-14-edible-present-ideas/feed/ 1 Food Porn: the city’s most beautiful cupcakes http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2010/11/15/food-porn-the-city%e2%80%99s-most-beautiful-cupcakes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=food-porn-the-city%25e2%2580%2599s-most-beautiful-cupcakes http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2010/11/15/food-porn-the-city%e2%80%99s-most-beautiful-cupcakes/#comments Mon, 15 Nov 2010 21:07:19 +0000 Renée Suen http://www.torontolife.com/daily/?p=46951

Fancy cupcakes came roaring onto the culinary stage in 2005. Many dismissed them as the second-worst Sex in the City trend (the worst was name necklaces), but thanks to the creativity of Toronto’s baker-artists, these little treats have evolved from flashes in the pan to café standards. Meticulously constructed versions are now regularly found at [...]

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Fancy cupcakes came roaring onto the culinary stage in 2005. Many dismissed them as the second-worst Sex in the City trend (the worst was name necklaces), but thanks to the creativity of Toronto’s baker-artists, these little treats have evolved from flashes in the pan to café standards. Meticulously constructed versions are now regularly found at wedding receptions, TIFF shindigs and bachelor parties. Here, eleven gorgeous and delectable examples that show how this childhood favourite has moved to the adult table.

Start the slide show »

This autumn-themed composition by Adrienne Weinberg and Sara Tesolin is almost too beautiful to eat. Vibrantly stained buttercream anchors the flowers and leaves made from fondant and icing. Flavour options range from kid-friendly fruit, chocolate or vanilla to adult-approved Baileys, Grand Marnier or limoncello. Cupcakes start at $2.50 each; bite-size are $1.75. She Takes the Cake, 1600 Dundas St. W., 416-538-2253, shetakesthecake.ca. shetakesthecake.ca . Yes, that Whole Foods. The famously organic grocer turns basic vanilla or chocolate sponge into things of beauty, employing varying permutations of coloured sugar and butter frostings (our favourites are those flavoured with raspberries, mint or chocolate). Seasonal designs are sure to please both actual and inner children. Cupcakes are $3 each. Whole Foods Market, 87 Avenue Rd., 416-944-0500, wholefoodsmarket.com/toronto. Lori Hutchinson (a.k.a. The Caketress) was named Canadian Cake Designer of 2008 for the exquisite detail she brings to her craft, including the pleated white chocolate ruffles, sugar cameo and edible gold dust application seen here. These couture cupcakes may have a hefty price tag, but every aspect is customizable, from the design to the filling. Custom cupcakes are $50 each. The Caketress, Info@TheCaketress.ca, TheCaketress.ca. Morag Cleeveley’s Parkdale bakery lives up to its name. Popular options include the luxurious, cream cheese-frosted red velvet cupcake and the bacon cupcake—a salty-sweet number comprised of maple-bacon buttercream on a chocolate-oatmeal base. Cleeveley keeps things simple with a tight twirl of frosting that’s studded with crunchy flowers, sugar plaques or shards of bacon.Cupcakes are $2.75 each; six for $15. Decorative toppers range from $0.75-$1.50 each.Yummy Stuff, 1660 Queen St. W., 416-531-9732, yummystuff.ca. Sophisticated craftsmanship and flavour combinations ensure that Jamie Ho’s wicked little cupcakes taste as good as they look. The apple-cardamom version, with its supple cinnamon cream cheese frosting and chic white chocolate rose, is a refreshing break from industry standards. The spiced cake core is surrounded by a white chocolate wrapper that’s elegantly finished with 24-karat gold, edible petal dust and silver dragées. Cupcakes are $5.50 each; custom orders are priced independently. Wicked Little Cake Company, 647-296-0150, wickedlittlecakecompany.ca. SWEET INSPIRATIONS: SWEETTHINGS Juanita Koo’s mission is to create thoughtful and personalized sweet things. Case in point: these treats based on Toronto Life’s “Best of the City” issue. The whimsical shapes—here we have pizza, bags and booze—are made from spongy Swiss meringue fondant, and impress in both design and flavour (they taste like marshmallows). Cupcake flavours are available by the dozen and range from chocolate sour cream to strawberry vanilla. There’s even a brownie-like, gluten-free option. Cupcakes start at $3 each; custom designs start at $5 each. SweetThings, 416-315-9303, sweetthings.ca. Cat Chen, this year’s Bonnie Gordon School Cake Show Cupcake Challenge winner, uses everything from edible glitter to gum paste to create these memorable desserts. Cake flavours include Lululemon (homemade lemon curd with cream cheese frosting) and Ferrero Rocher (rich chocolate cake studded with chocolate chunks then topped with Nutella buttercream). Cupcake towers are also available and can be finished with cake toppers or cookies. Cupcakes range from $22–30 per dozen. Sugar Baking, 647-669-9754, sugar-baking.com. sugar-baking.com. Lesley Mattina’s are the most popular vegan cupcakes in town. And no wonder—they’re moist, not too sweet, and as light on the palate as they are on the conscience. Available in both regular and mini sizes, each dome is finished with a perfect spiral of frosting, coloured sugar or sprinkles. Cupcakes start at $2.50 each. OMG Baked Goodness, 1561 Dundas St. W., 647-348-5664, omgbakedgoodness.com. LPK has long been known for its commitment to green practices—using certified-organic, fairly-traded ingredients in a Bullfrog-powered kitchen—but recognition is fast increasing for Lesia Kohut’s line of gluten-free products. We like the aromatic coconut cupcake with lime-scented frosting, and are pleasantly surprised to discover that it’s vegan. LPK also makes arty mini cupcakes garnished with edible flowers from Cookstown Greens. Mini cupcakes are $2.50 each; large cupcakes are $3.50. LPK's Culinary Groove, 718 Queen St. E., 416-461-6440, lpksculinarygroove.com. Eini Cheng’s royal icing flowers have gained a reputation for pleasing crowds at weddings and bridal showers. The flowers are nestled into thickly piped bubble tea-inspired buttercream frosting (we prefer the mango over the honeydew). Eini and Co. supplies many venues including the Fairmont Royal York and the Park Hyatt, but takes large custom orders with a minimum of four months notice. Bite-size are $1.75 each; standard-size are $2.75; $5 royal icing-decorated. Eini and Co., 416-899-3168, eini.ca. The floral centerpiece is re-imagined with this cupcake bouquet that doubles as dessert. Buttercream rosettes, bejewelled with decorative sugar, decorate plain and Oreo-spotted vanilla cupcakes. Jennifer Gill and her bakers artfully arrange the mild flavoured cupcakes into clay flower pots then finish the look with tissue paper and ribbons. Individual cupcakes are $2.50 each; custom designs are an additional $1.50 per piece. Cupcake bouquets (like the one pictured here) start at $30. The Cupcakery, 1034 St. Clair Ave. W., 647-430-7409, thecupcakeryTO.com.

]]> http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2010/11/15/food-porn-the-city%e2%80%99s-most-beautiful-cupcakes/feed/ 6 A photographic tour of one of Toronto’s best brunch menus http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2010/06/14/a-photographic-tour-of-one-of-toronto%e2%80%99s-best-brunch-menus/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-photographic-tour-of-one-of-toronto%25e2%2580%2599s-best-brunch-menus http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2010/06/14/a-photographic-tour-of-one-of-toronto%e2%80%99s-best-brunch-menus/#comments Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:02:08 +0000 Renée Suen http://www.torontolife.com/daily/?p=28798

A mere six months after opening, the brunch at the Hoof Café has become the city’s most coveted (witness the lineups snaking out the door). Co-owner Grant van Gameren and chef Geoff Hopgood combine the Hoof’s snout-to-tail philosophy with breakfast standards, creating a menu that is both playful and indulgent. Beautiful and inventive cocktails by [...]

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A mere six months after opening, the brunch at the Hoof Café has become the city’s most coveted (witness the lineups snaking out the door). Co-owner Grant van Gameren and chef Geoff Hopgood combine the Hoof’s snout-to-tail philosophy with breakfast standards, creating a menu that is both playful and indulgent. Beautiful and inventive cocktails by co-owner and house mixologist Jen Agg round out meals that are satisfying to the eye as they are to the palate.

Here, our side show tour of the west end’s hottest brunch menu »

]]> http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2010/06/14/a-photographic-tour-of-one-of-toronto%e2%80%99s-best-brunch-menus/feed/ 14 Twelve Treats of Christmas: amazing edible (or drinkable) gifts for the indulgent epicure http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2009/12/14/eleven-edible-or-drinkable-gifts-for-the-indulgent-epicure/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=eleven-edible-or-drinkable-gifts-for-the-indulgent-epicure http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2009/12/14/eleven-edible-or-drinkable-gifts-for-the-indulgent-epicure/#comments Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:03:40 +0000 Renée Suen http://www.torontolife.com/daily/?p=15670
The glistening white sugar finish on these gingerbread snowflakes stimulates the visual sense as much as the taste buds. The popular hand-crafted cookies make excellent casual table-top decor—while they last. $1.95 each or $13.75 per dozen; gingerbread star tree, $29.95. <br /> <strong><em> All the Best Fine Foods, </em></strong>1101 Yonge St., 416-928-3330, <a href=

Now is the time of year when Toronto’s patisseries and food shops offer a tremendous selection of goodies that cater to the most specific tastes. To make sense of this yearly embarrassment of riches, we found some delicious items that are sure to be crowd pleasers and  ideal gifts. Here, 12 ways to avoid the dreaded (and regifted) Pot of Gold.

James Beard once declared this the best shortbread he’d ever eaten. That was 30 years ago, but lineups still form outside Mary Macleod’s east-end shop for her traditional and chocolate crunch cookies. Other sure-to-please flavours include the cocoa-rich Dutch chocolate, hazelnut crunch and aromatic rolled coconut. Available by the dozen, $16.00; in decorative tins, $25–$49; in translucent packaging, $10–$75; or as single shaped cookies, $3. Mary Macleod's Shortbread, 639 Queen St. E., 416-461-4576, marymacleod.ca. Xococava combines two holiday favourites—liquor and truffles—filling various high-quality chocolates with eggnog, amaretto, Lagavulin, oloroso sherry or bourbon. Best served after the kids are put to bed, these boozy truffles would be most appreciated by Bay Street dwellers still running the rat race on December 24. Individual truffle, $2; holiday selection of 10, $20. Xococava, 1560 Yonge St., 416-979-9916, cavarestaurant.ca. For this seasonal classic, Wanda packs an impeccably tender and flaky trans fat–free crust with a mixture of apple, raisins, walnuts, spices and candied citrus peel. Aged up to a year, the vegetarian-friendly filling is moist and rich enough to massage even the most bourgeois of tastes. Six-inch pie (serves two), $8.25; 11-inch pie (serves eight to 10), $34. Wanda's Pie in the Sky, 287 Augusta Ave., 416-236-7585, wandaspieinthesky.com. Chris McDonald’s cheeky experiments combining savoury with sweet have borne delicious results, striking for their originality. Our favourites include milk chocolate–enrobed bacon toffees sprinkled with Maldon salt and caramel corn spiked with chipotle. Maple bacon toffee, $9; Cava spiced caramel corn, $3 per cone or $8 per 85-gram bag. Xococava, 1560 Yonge St., 416-979-9916, Aged 30 years in wooden casks, this one-of-a-kind balsamic’s complex balance of sweet and sour beautifully sets off grilled fish, sliced meat or any fruit. True aficionados have been known to sip shots of it as an after-meal liqueur. Short of coming with a golden spoon, each box and bottle is numbered, sealed and signed. And if that’s not enough, there’s also a certificate of authenticity. $135. All the Best Fine Foods, 1101 Yonge St., 416-928-3330, allthebestfinefoods.com. Rahier Pâtisserie’s holiday selection includes these multi-component yule logs, which run the gamut from almond–white chocolate mousse with cranberry compote to coffee-tinged sponge cake wrapped in moka buttercream. Our favourite is on the far right—a dark mousse with red velvet chocolate coating, gooey soft caramel and cocoa-soaked sponge cake. Available from Dec. 15 to 31 in four-, six- and eight-serving sizes, $19.50–$36. Rahier Pâtisserie, 1586 Bayview Ave., 416-482-0917, rahierpatisserie.com. The seasonal Celebration Blend from this famed Chicago coffee dealer has a nostalgic element, evoking classic Christmas aromas like candied orange peel, juniper, hazelnut and baking spices. For an extra jolt of caffeine, pair the brew with a Black Cat chocolate bar—it contains caramel and spices from Intelligentsia’s famous espresso. Celebration Blend, $9.50 per half-pound; Black Cat chocolate bar, $7.50. Manic Coffee, 426 College St., 416-966-3888, maniccoffee.com. Fruitcake’s primary role does not have to be as a doorstop. For proof, look no farther than this intensely flavoured version, made by Barrie’s own Debbie Weston and aged for months in rum-soaked cheesecloth. The cake is a favourite of retailer Harry Rosen, who invited Weston to be part of the Saturday tastings he gives to his customers in December (find her at the Yorkville store on December 12). One-pound loaf, $20 (with marzipan, $28); two-pound family cake, $40. Pusateri’s, 1539 Avenue Rd., 416-785-9100, pusateris.com; or purchase on-line at grandmadebs.com. Celebrate tea’s surge in popularity with the Big Box of Tea—12 sample-sized tins of classics, flavoured, herbals and rare reserves—or the limited-edition Winter Collection, which contains 25 grams each of After Midnight, Glitter and Gold, Orange Julep, Toasted Walnut, Mulled Chai, Tiramisu and Lemon Bombshell. Those gifting remotely should note that shipping is free within North America for on-line orders of more than $50. Big Box of Tea, $25; Winter Collection, $29.50. David’s Tea, 336 Queen St. W. (plus two other locations), 416-506-0653, davidstea.com. Carl Stryg’s artisanal shortbreads are based on a recipe inherited from his Scottish great-grandmother. His one-man operation’s savoury line features four delectable flavours, including cheddar and chipotle, spicy asiago and garlic, stilton and rosemary, and our favourite, gorgonzola and pistachio. The made-to-order approach guarantees quality control. Normally by appointment only, the bakery will be open to the public for three open house dates this year, on December 12, 19 and 22. Sweet shortbreads, $9.95; savoury shortbreads, $10.95. Coach House Shortbread Company, 416-778-4207, shortbread.ca; or at Dinah’s Cupboard, 50 Cumberland St., 416-921-8112. The glistening white sugar finish on these gingerbread snowflakes stimulates the visual sense as much as the taste buds. The popular hand-crafted cookies make excellent casual table-top decor—while they last. $1.95 each or $13.75 per dozen; gingerbread star tree, $29.95. All the Best Fine Foods, 1101 Yonge St., 416-928-3330, allthebestfinefoods.com. Two years ago, Marc Thuet, mixed a plum base with three different kinds of raisins, blackcurrants, almonds, walnuts and suet, then steamed it for eight hours and placed it all in a refrigerator. Now properly aged, he is selling the pudding to home chefs, who re-steam the pudding, then top with a brandy butter, then flambé to oohs and aahs. Serves eight to 10. $52. Brandy butter, $5. Petite Thuet, 1162 Yonge St., 416-924-2777, petitethuet.com. (Photo by Paula Wilson)

]]> http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2009/12/14/eleven-edible-or-drinkable-gifts-for-the-indulgent-epicure/feed/ 1 Nadège Patisserie sends its desserts down the catwalk http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2009/10/05/cake-walk-nadege-patisserie-sends-its-desserts-down-the-catwalk/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cake-walk-nadege-patisserie-sends-its-desserts-down-the-catwalk http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2009/10/05/cake-walk-nadege-patisserie-sends-its-desserts-down-the-catwalk/#comments Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:45:08 +0000 Catherine Hayday http://www.torontolife.com/daily/?p=12922

Pink pilars of cake known as "Addiction"

Pink pillars of cake known as Addiction at Nadège Patisserie on Queen Street West (All photos by Catherine Hayday)

Nadège Patisserie continues to find original ways of flogging pastries to Torontonians. Last week, the Queen West shop held a fashion show-like event to unveil its fall 2009 cake collection. And just like at a fashion show, there was one strict rule: look but don’t touch. We don’t want to be too literal, but at the unveiling of a cake collection, shouldn’t guests, you know, try the cake?

Of course, it was hard to be bitter when surrounded by so much sweet—especially when Nadège’s near-flawless macaroons and homemade marshmallows circulated so freely. The fall cake collection itself incorporates the elements we’d expect of a transition season. To really abuse this fashion metaphor, let’s call gingerbread and mulled wine the tweed of the fall food lineup. They were certainly well represented: the gingerbread appeared paired with caramel in Obsession Caramel, while the mulled wine was mixed with cinnamon and orange in Avida Dollars.

Full slide show of the cakes, after the jump.

Dessert designers like Nadège can be relied on to create something unexpected, as well. Take the cylindrical pink leopard print of Addiction (dark chocolate and pomegranate) or the emphasis on exotic fruits in Ayutthaya. The latter was, in our opinion, the most lush-looking cake on display. Its printed sides were constructed of thin chocolate, barely buttressing a mousse centre topped with the aforementioned fruits. When choosing it to take home, we tripped up on the pronunciation, but Wikipedia was kind enough to fill in the blanks of our ignorance: Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1351 to 1767.

This is an area for improvement in the showing of Nadège’s next line of sweets. The shop’s designs are so intricate and the executions so creative that the story of how the cakes came to be would add extra richness to the show. Our imaginations were left to their own theories as we wondered whether or not the Marie Antoinette mini-macaroon was so named because it looks like it is missing its head. What is the Salvador Dali-based inspiration behind production of Avida Dollars? Empereur Kaldi, made of coffee, banana and chocolate, is named for the goat herder who discovered the first coffee plant, but how did he upgrade to imperial status? We can glean bits of the stories, but we’d love to be told more.

The gorgeous cakes will be available at the pâtisserie over the fall and winter. We contented ourselves with the free goodies and will surely be back for more, but for advice on the next cake fashion show, we suggest following Marie Antoinette’s advice: Let them eat cake.

Pink pilars of cake known as Addiction Empereur Kaldi Ayutthaya Images of Nadege's creations were on display Avida Dollars (right) and Marie Antoinettes Mini-marshmallows Marie Antoinette La veuve Cake display Obsession caramel Ayutthaya ]]> http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2009/10/05/cake-walk-nadege-patisserie-sends-its-desserts-down-the-catwalk/feed/ 0 Hidden pleasure: a delectable Cantonese dining experience that’s off the foodie radar http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2009/08/10/hidden-pleasure-a-delectable-cantonese-dining-experience-thats-off-the-foodie-radar/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hidden-pleasure-a-delectable-cantonese-dining-experience-thats-off-the-foodie-radar http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2009/08/10/hidden-pleasure-a-delectable-cantonese-dining-experience-thats-off-the-foodie-radar/#comments Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:54:38 +0000 Renée Suen http://www.torontolife.com/daily/?p=9192 It’s easy to see why John’s Chinese Barbecue Restaurant has remained off the foodie radar: it’s hidden in a Richmond Hill strip mall and has a non-descript English name. Most come for the Chinese rotisserie—a joy in itself—but adventurous diners tend to order John’s Cantonese fare. Several notches above the usual cloying sauces and greasy batter of take-out Chinese, we dig into expertly rendered versions of chow mein and stir fry, as well as Guangdong delicacies like braised sea cucumbers, Peking duck and dried abalone (dining with a Chinese-reading companion helps decipher the specials and menu). In this slideshow, we tour an authentic Cantonese meal that’s worth a drive north of the 407.

John’s Chinese Barbecue Restaurant, Unit 10, Chalmers Gate 11, 328 Hwy. 7 E., Richmond Hill, 905-881-3333.

The meal starts with a complementary turren of the daily soup, a traditional broth made from simmering various ingredients over a fire for hours. Pictured here is the pork rib and fuzzy gourd soup, but after several visits to John’s, we’ve sampled a spare rib version, with watercress and apricot kernels; an interpretation with winter melon and pork; and even a milky rendition, with fresh fish, tofu and bok choy. Unlike many downtown charcuterie-centric restaurants, eating offal is incredibly affordable at John’s, where it is served served lou mei style (dim sum-like appetizers). We grudgingly pass over the pigs ears and duck tongues to sample this dish of goose livers simmered in a seasoned soy-based liquid. The Chinese foie gras is warm, tender, firmly textured and with an incredible umami punch. No visit to John’s would be complete without ordering the resto’s signature “king of all char siu.” This is not a standard barbecued pork shoulder (John’s uses a rare cut that requires an extra 15 minutes of preparation time, resulting in a sweet, tender creation that’s worth the higher price tag). We find ourselves fighting over the crunchy caramelized ends, although the candy-like braised soy bean nuggets at its base are equally addictive. Fresh live seafood is a specialty in Cantonese cuisine. Steamed and dressed lightly with hot oil, soy sauce, ginger and scallions, the white fish bursts with natural sweetness. Done well, the flesh should be opaque, start to flake and barely adhere to the spine. John’s accomplishes all three flawlessly. Stir-fried egg white cloud: crispy chow mein noodles are accompanied by stir-fried scallops and egg whites in a dish that is as fluffy as the name suggests. Raw egg yolk sits atop the mountain of protein, creating an unctuous sauce when broken. Cantonese roast duck is served Peking style with steamed Mandarin pancakes, shredded scallions, julienned cucumbers and carrots. The crackling amber skin is a joy, especially when served with moist breast, crunchy vegetables, hoisin sauce and soft wheat pancakes in a DIY Chinese taco. This lobster stir fry is an excellent illustration of how John’s avoids oily batters and congealed sauces. It comes with ginger, green onion and the lobster head (just for fun). Spongy bamboo fungus are braised with shiitake and straw mushrooms, then ladled over firm broccoli florets and bok choy. Tender sliced beef is seasoned, stir-fried with minced garlic and served over a bed of al dente Chinese broccoli. It’s an authentic rendering of a take-out standby. ]]> http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2009/08/10/hidden-pleasure-a-delectable-cantonese-dining-experience-thats-off-the-foodie-radar/feed/ 2 To a tea: a look at one of Toronto’s truly unique dining experiences http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2009/06/24/to-a-tea-a-look-a-one-of-torontos-truly-unique-dining-experiences/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=to-a-tea-a-look-a-one-of-torontos-truly-unique-dining-experiences http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2009/06/24/to-a-tea-a-look-a-one-of-torontos-truly-unique-dining-experiences/#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:32:48 +0000 Renée Suen http://www.torontolife.com/daily/?p=7963 windsorarms_roomAnyone who believes afternoon tea is a stuffy, doily-laced affair has never experienced it at the Windsor Arms. The Yorkville hotel has been serving afternoon tea since 1927, but history and convention have not kept the practice stuck in the past. We swing by the elegant French-style tea room for the unconventional “twilight” tea seating ($45), available from Thursday to Sunday at 6 p.m., which is complemented by a glass of sherry or flute of sparkling wine. Join us as we sink into our upholstered seats, pinkies high, and enjoy one of Toronto’s truly unique eating experiences.


Windsor Arms Hotel, 18 St. Thomas St. (at Bloor St. W.), 416-971-9666, windsorarmshotel.com.

The two lobby tea rooms at the Windsor Arms. The meal begins with a fine china pot in which one of the many premium loose-leaf tea blends is steeping. Choices range from the traditional to the exotic, including the hotel’s private blend of ceylon, nilgiris and assam, earl grey with roses, Eve’s Temptation (apples and mango) and Tibetan Tiger (vanilla, chocolate, caramel and butterscotch). Our three-tiered plate stand comes with all the traditional goods, including fresh scones, a stunning selection of gourmet finger sandwiches, an array of petits fours and warm goat cheese tarts that hide a sweet caramelized-shallot centre. These tea sandwiches have been reinvented as maki-style rolls. Dainty, crustless and far from boring, the lox version is gussied up with a dollop of sour cream, briny droplets of salmon roe and a twirl of light-bodied oven-roasted-tomato cream cheese. Vegetarians would approve of the asparagus roll—a green spear wrapped in moist white bread along with thin cucumber slices and chive cream cheese—but we favoured the citrus-infused grilled chicken, topped with a brunoise of tomatoes and chives. These fluffy lemon-raisin scones are surprisingly filling. Perhaps our own more-than-generous addition of sweet preserves and cool devon cream had something to do with the resulting heaviness. Varieties of petits fours include an airy lemon meringue tart, a denser slice of dulce de leche cheesecake and a fresh berry tartlet. Handcrafted and delicate, they are almost too pretty to eat. Almost. Chocoholics can rejoice in the multi-layered mocha meringue cake, the rich and elegant chocolate truffles and the triple-layer pistachio buttercream cake that comes topped with a chocolate cigar. The set finished with a ramekin filled with sweet strawberries capped by a generous scoop of whipped cream.

]]> http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2009/06/24/to-a-tea-a-look-a-one-of-torontos-truly-unique-dining-experiences/feed/ 4 Hidden treasure: A photographic tour through some of Toronto’s best dim sum http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2009/05/01/hidden-treasure-a-photographic-tour-of-some-of-torontos-best-dim-sum/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hidden-treasure-a-photographic-tour-of-some-of-torontos-best-dim-sum http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/food-porn/2009/05/01/hidden-treasure-a-photographic-tour-of-some-of-torontos-best-dim-sum/#comments Fri, 01 May 2009 18:50:40 +0000 Renée Suen http://www.torontolife.com/daily/?p=5714

One of Toronto’s best dim sum experiences occurs in the strangest of venues: the Doubletree Hilton hotel near Pearson airport. Grand Chinese Cuisine is as glamorous as its name suggests. Heavy table linens add a muted, luxurious ambience to the dining room—a circular enclave with walnut blinds that block out the lobby so effectively that [...]

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plate

In the beginning: Our plate at Grand Chinese Cuisine waits to be filled (All photos by Renée Suen)

One of Toronto’s best dim sum experiences occurs in the strangest of venues: the Doubletree Hilton hotel near Pearson airport. Grand Chinese Cuisine is as glamorous as its name suggests. Heavy table linens add a muted, luxurious ambience to the dining room—a circular enclave with walnut blinds that block out the lobby so effectively that it is hard to believe we are dining in a hotel (or in Etobicoke, for that matter). Most foodies are familiar with the traditional forms of dim sum, but nouveau styles, like the dishes here, have taken connoisseurs by storm. We find ourselves sampling flavourful treats that are as appealing to the eye as they are to our appetites—all with a mid-range price tag. Our photographic tour of a legendary dim sum meal, after the jump.

chickenandshitakedumplings

In addition to the staple shrimp and scallop dumplings (both good), we order the steamed chicken and shiitake mushroom version. Each thick-skinned purse is christened with flying fish roe, lending briny depth to a subtle filling.

suimai

Unlike the greasy golf ball renderings that get pushed around on most dim sum carts, the siu mai (pork and mushroom dumpling) at Grand Chinese Cuisine come piping hot and straight from the kitchen steamer. The textural contrast of the diced pork and the sweet shrimp is furthered by its sweet cap of scallop and roe.

grouperandsnowpeariceroll

These steamed rice rolls come filled with the firm flesh of grouper and tender pea shoots. DIY saucing allows us to control how much of its clean flavour to drown out with soy dressing (not much).

dicedcodpastry

These thousand-layer cod pastries are an excellent balance of fat and flour. Though the well-seasoned filling is moist and the concentric sheets flake away easily, the balls keep their structural integrity from plate to mouth.

searedbun

Rumour has it that these sweetened fluffy buns make the chefs at Atelier Thuet swoon. The contents include aromatic kobacha pumpkin, black beans, garlic and minced pork, but the textures are the true accomplishment here. We can’t decide if it’s the seared tops or the cotton candy–like pork floss that has us coming back for more.

duckstongues

Tongues should wag over Grand’s version of this classic Chinese dish–duck tongues, served here in a “crystal” consommé pudding with goji miracle berries (a.k.a. wolfberries), seaweed salad and marinated jellyfish. Don’t be fooled by the offal muscle’s appearance; its slightly bouncy texture is like supple fat. The fowl origin is revealed by name alone.

custard

Steamed buns are common dim sum, but this custard and egg yolk version is a rare find. Reminiscent of a warm Cadbury cream egg (without the chocolate), the bun has a thin skin that shields a molten yolk core that is grainy, sweet and salty. Not to be missed.

dessert

To finish the meal, we order the pan-fried rice dumplings. A bit chewy—but lovely when savoured with tea—their toasted sesame seed crust juxtaposes a chewy wrapping and a heart of tannic green tea paste.

Grand Chinese Cuisine, 655 Dixon Rd., 416-248-9898, grandchinesecuisine.com.

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