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DIY Gourmet

A heartbreaking work of staggering cheapness

Don't have a cow, man (Image: FotoosVanRobin)

With all the fuss over students struggling to buy food using OSAP funds, it’s easy to miss other victims of Toronto’s high cost of living: expat European investment bankers. One individual has bravely blown the lid off of their plight. On the U.K.-based financial services Web site hereisthecity.com, next to an article called “My Bonus Isn’t Big Enough,” we found (with the help of the Post) Polar Roller’s scathing missive: “The Canadian Rip-Off.” In it, he discusses his horror at having to spend more than $10 for lunch here and takes umbrage at his maid’s paycheque, which, by his reckoning, is a full 20 per cent more than he pays his cleaner back home.

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| 1 Comment » March 16, 2010 | 8:41 am | Greg Hudson

Rumours & Rumblings

12 food trends we observed at the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices show

All the rage: finger foods (Photo: Renée Suen)

To follow up the Canadian Chef Survey of food trends, we decided to attend the annual conference of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA) to see if the proof was in the pudding. Turns out, it was in the verrines (see photo). Our 12 key trend observations, after the jump.

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| 1 Comment » March 11, 2010 | 3:00 pm | Renée Suen

Caffeine High

Calling all freelancers: seven best work-friendly cafés

Laptop, latte, lovely (Image: Matthew Hague)

For the entry price of a latte, many freelancers are finding sanctuary at coffee shops, where they can plug in, boot up and work uninterrupted. But as Leah McLaren tells us, not all cafés are equally accommodating. Sam James and Manic refuse to offer Wi-Fi, and Zoots tapes over outlets to stop customers from plugging in. For a freelancer, finding a welcoming café can be as important as finding that next contract. We’ve scoured the city for bright, spacious, laptop-friendly spots where great food, strong coffee and plentiful outlets make for a freelancer’s (temporary) paradise. Here, our eight picks.

| 7 Comments » March 8, 2010 | 2:55 pm | Matthew Hague

Restauran-TO

Chef survey lists the top 10 food trends of 2010

Celiac-safe beer: gluten is so 2009 (Image: Joe Lewis)

Health nuts and celiac sufferers, rejoice. A survey of chefs reveals that 2010 will be the year of simplicity, sustainability and gluten-free beer. The list of top Canadian menu trends isn’t terribly surprising, as environmentally conscious diners have been forgoing imported produce in favour of all things Ontario for several years now, but considering all the poutine, burger and charcuterie joints that have been popping up in the city, we’re surprised these lists don’t show animal fat a little love. (The full lists, after the jump.)

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| 1 Comment » March 6, 2010 | 11:03 am | Karon Liu

Restauran-TO

Eat the Oscars: 10 Toronto dishes—one for every best picture nominee

Hosting an Oscars party is going to be tough this year. With 10 nominations for best picture, instead of the usual five, making movie-themed munchies will be twice as hard. To help Toronto hosts get their bearings, we suggest the following dishes from across the city, each inspired by the films hoping for the ultimate Academy prize.

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| Leave a Comment » March 5, 2010 | 5:23 pm | Greg Hudson

Pantry Raid

Walmart and Whole Foods go head-to-head in organic battle

The wholesomely stocked shelves at Whole Foods (Photo by Hoodrat)

Developing a hate-on for corporations and big-box retailers is a pastime of many, but it may be time for a paradigm shift. The Atlantic’s Corby Kummer was recently taken aback by the quantity of fresh, locally sourced produce available at—cue cringes—a Walmart super-centre, which stocked many of the products sold at Whole Foods.

Kummer was so intrigued by Walmart’s selection (free-range organic eggs, all-natural, hormone-free milk and organic meat) that he decided a blind taste test was in order: Walmart vs. Whole Foods. In purchasing ingredients for the showdown, which was refereed by a panel of critics, bloggers and food lovers, Kummer spent significantly less at Walmart than he did at Whole Foods for nearly identical ingredients.

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| 3 Comments » March 1, 2010 | 1:06 pm | Jon Sufrin

From the Print Edition

Shoppers Drug Mart: the new general store

Shoppers outposts are suddenly everywhere, fulfilling our late-night need for milk, organic chocolate and self-bronzer. In our March issue, we track the evolution of the corner drugstore to consumer playground.

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| 1 Comment » February 22, 2010 | 9:09 am | Toronto Life Staff

Weekly Lunch Pick

Weekly Lunch Pick: Oro

The cozy Elm Street restaurant serves one of the more exceptional lunch menus to be had during Winterlicious

(Photos by Matthew Fox)

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| Leave a Comment » February 8, 2010 | 8:03 am | Andrew Brudz

Required Reading

Thirteen-year-old makes Flare editor cry, H&M organic line is not organic, Jimmy Choo emulates Tommy Ton

• Are Tommy Ton and Jimmy Choo starring in the sequel to Single White Female? Ton thinks so. Earlier this morning, Toronto’s famed street-style snapper pointed an accusing finger at the luxury shoe company when he tweeted, “Is it me or does the Jimmy Choo 24:7 campaign look a lot like…ahem…you know what I mean :S.” Truth be told, it doesn’t take much inspection to see the striking similarities between the images Ton shoots for his blog, Jak and Jil, and Choo’s new campaign. [Fashionista]

• Fashion editors were appalled when 13-year-old blogger Tavi Gevinson sat front row at the Dior couture show, wearing a gargantuan bow atop her head. Flare editor Lisa Tant tweeted, “Sobbing to think that a 13-year-old gets a front-row seat to cover couture. No justice in this world.” Meanwhile, Jeanne Beker took to Twitter, calling Gevinson’s bow “outrageous.” Both women later said their comments were taken out of context. Apparently “outrageous” is a good thing in the fashion world, but burning bridges is not. [Mondoville]

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| 1 Comment » January 28, 2010 | 2:30 pm | Natalie Goldenberg-Fife

Culinary Curiosities

Supper club Charlie’s Burgers serves bug-centric menu in Toronto

Water beetles: sustainable and delicious? (Photo by Kent Wang)

The environment has long been a hot topic among foodies, and this weekend, surreptitious supper club Charlie’s Burgers is planning an unsettling menu centred around bugs, which sustainability gurus say are a readily available source of protein, vitamins and minerals.

But before you pull out the knife and fork, know that not just anyone can chow on crickets at Charlie’s. A prospective diner must give their e-mail address at Charlie’s Web site, answer a questionnaire about their food fixations and, if the Charlie’s team likes the responses, meet at a secret location at an exact time and pay with cash.

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| 1 Comment » January 22, 2010 | 10:25 am | Fraser Abe