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Weekly Eater: Toronto food events for December 3 to December 9

Foodies on Foot leads their Streetcar Food Tour on Saturday (Image: Robert Taylor)

Monday, December 3

Monday Night Dinners at Local Kitchen and Wine Bar: Every Monday night, Local Kitchen serves a $40 prix fixe menu of Italian fare with half-price wine bottles and no corkage fee. 1710 Queen St. W., 416-534-6700. Find out more »
86’D With Ivy Knight: Third annual Battle Offal. The city’s top chefs prepare the gnarly bits for you to sample. Competitors include the Group of 7 Chefs, Beast, The Stop, the Tempered Chef, Nick and Nat’s Uptown 21, Richmond Station and GwaiLo. The Drake, 1150 Queen St. W., 416-531-5042. Find out more »
Burger Mondays: Enjoy $5 burgers and $5 pints on Mondays, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Gladstone Melody Bar. Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W., 416-531-4635. Find out more »
Guiltless Dessert Indulgence: Learn how to use healthy alternatives to dairy, wheat and sugar. Menu includes chewy chocolate brownies, carrot pineapple cake, coconut mango pudding and jam dot cookies. Marni’s Kitchen, 26 Lauderdale Dr., 647-477-8131. Find out more »
Simple Healthy Meals in 30 Minutes: Learn to quickly prepare three delicious and healthy meals: winter salad with pine nuts, radicchio and Asian pears; penne with sausage, fennel and pecorino; and fresh fish with tomato sauce and cherry tomato couscous. The Chef Upstairs, 516 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-544-9221. Find out more »
Workshop—Naturally Fermented Condiment Gift Pack: Holistic nutritionist Kate Leinweber leads a workshop that covers the how and why of simple fermentation while you prepare a delicious batch of homemade ketchup, mustard and relish, perfect for holiday gift giving. The Depanneur, 1033 College St., 416-828-1990. Find out more »

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Weekly Eater: Toronto food events for November 12 to 18

The Gourmet Food and Wine Expo kicks off on Thursday (Image: Courtesy Food and Wine Expo)

Monday, November 12

Monday Night Dinners at Local Kitchen and Wine Bar: Every Monday night, Local Kitchen serves a $40 prix fixe menu of Italian fare with half-price wine bottles and no corkage fee. 1710 Queen St. W., 416-534-6700. Find out more »
86’D With Ivy Knight: Fourth annual Pickle Battle. Bring in your best professional or amateur brined cuke. The Drake, 1150 Queen St. W., 416-531-5042. Find out more »

Tuesday, November 13

Mario Batali’s Fall Classics: Learn the basics for great Italian meals, like tomato and grilled zucchini stacks and Batali-inspired tomato sauce from scratch. The Chef Upstairs, 516 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-544-9221. Find out more »
From Wing to Tip: Chef Rodney Bowers presents new and exciting ways to prepare family-style chicken dishes using only the best local, organic chicken. He’ll also demonstrate how to make chicken stock and a quick fall soup—not to mention Shanghai chicken thigh lettuce tacos. LCBO Summerhill, 10 Scrivener Sq., 416-922-0403. Find out more »
GE Café Chef Series—Pasta Party With Fabio Bondi: A series of workshops connecting eaters to the unique terroir, chefs and food culture of southern Ontario. This week, chef Fabio Bondi of Local Kitchen and Wine Bar and Bar Salumi shares his knowledge and experience in pasta making and Italian cuisine. Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Ave. Find out more »

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Weekly Eater: Toronto food events for October 29 to November 4

Thomas Keller appears at the Isabel Bader Theatre on Tuesday to promote his new book Bouchon Bakery (Image: Toby Canham/Getty Images Entertainment)

Monday October 29

Monday Night Dinners at Local Kitchen and Wine Bar: Every Monday night, Local Kitchen serves a $40 prix fixe menu of Italian fare with half-price wine bottles and no corkage fee. 1710 Queen St. W., 416-534-6700. Find out more »
86’D with Ivy Knight: Sample Muskoka Harvest Ale while you carve up a pumpkin for the jack-o-lantern contest. The Drake, 1150 Queen St. W., 416-531-5042. Find out more »
Piola’s Monday Night Mixer: Piola’s weekly aperitivo Italiano, with cocktail and beer specials and complimentary snacks. 1165 Queen St. W., 416-477-4652. Find out more »
Burger Mondays: Enjoy $5 burgers and $5 pints on Mondays, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Gladstone Melody Bar. Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W., 416-531-4635. Find out more »
The “F” Word Revisited: Few chefs are more skilled at simple elegance and pure flavours than Gordon Ramsay. Explore some of his more approachable recipes with chef Angie MacRae. No yelling or throwing pots involved. Dish Cooking Studio, 390 Dupont St., 416-920-5559. Find out more »
Harvest Fermentation—Kraut and Kimchi Variations with Kate Lienweber: Start fermenting the way your grandmother did. Also learn the holistic health benefits of home fermentation that have been a part of food culture for generations. The Depanneur, 1033 College St., 416-828-1990. Find out more »

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Weekly Eater: Toronto food events for October 22 to 28

Cask Days takes place at the Evergreen Brick Works this weekend, complete with a Halloween costume judging contest (Image: Connie Tsang)

Monday October 22

Monday Night Dinners at Local Kitchen and Wine Bar: Every Monday night, Local Kitchen serves a $40 prix fixe menu of Italian fare with half-price wine bottles and no corkage fee. 1710 Queen St. W., 416-534-6700. Find out more »
86’D with Ivy Knight: This week, celebrate with the chefs from Soupstock, and enjoy a tasty night of pairing Acadian Sturgeon caviar with Stillwater vodka. The Drake, 1150 Queen St. W., 416-531-5042. Find out more »
Piola’s Monday Night Mixer: Piola’s weekly aperitivo Italiano, with cocktail and beer specials and complimentary snacks. 1165 Queen St. W., 416-477-4652. Find out more »
Burger Mondays: Enjoy $5 burgers and $5 pints on Mondays, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Gladstone Melody Bar. Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W., 416-531-4635. Find out more »
Veggin’ Comfortably Workshop: Marni Wasserman demonstrates how easy it can be to switch over to a more veg-friendly lifestyle. Menu includes butternut squash, lentil and coconut soup, arame soba noodle salad, marinated kaleslaw salad and black bean burgers. Marni’s Kitchen, 26 Lauderdale Dr., 647-477-8131. Find out more »
Sustainable Living and Ethical Eating—Cooking With a Conscience: Learn simple tips for a greener, guilt-free kitchen. The menu includes leek and golden beet barley risotto with spicy kale chips and whole roasted organic chicken infused. Dish Cooking Studio, 390 Dupont St., 416-920-5559. Find out more »
Luscious Greens and Grains: Chef and cookbook author Nettie Cronish prepares tasty and nutritious leafy green and grain dishes. Menu includes pot barley split pea soup with Shiitake mushrooms, spinach and dill and hot and sour buckwheat noodle salad. Kingsway LCBO, 2946 Bloor St. W., 416-239-3065. Find out more »

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Weekly Eater: Toronto food events for October 1 to 7

Shuck U: Oyster 101 takes place at Hooked on Wednesday (Image: Gabriel Li)

Monday, October 1

86’D With Ivy Knight: This week, a “twisted foodie adventure” with Rodney Dangerfood, plus reinvention of the cosmo by GwaiLo cocktail queen Christina Kuypers. The Drake, 1150 Queen St. W., 416-531-5042. Find out more »
Monday Night Dinners at Local Kitchen and Wine Bar: Every Monday night, Local Kitchen serves up a $40 prix fixe menu of their Italian fare with half-price wine bottles and no corkage fee. 1710 Queen St. W., 416-534-6700. Find out more »
Piola’s Monday Night Mixer: Piola’s weekly aperitivo Italiano, with cocktail and beer specials and complimentary snacks. 1165 Queen St. W., 416-477-4652. Find out more »
Burger Mondays: Enjoy $5 burgers and $5 pints on Mondays, 5 to 8 p.m. at the Gladstone Melody Bar. Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W., 416-531-4635. Find out more »
Grocery Innovations Canada 2012: Exhibitors and delegates from all over the country gather to discuss their plans for the coming year and the top trends that will hit aisles in 2013. October 1 and 2. Metro Convention Centre, 255 Front St. W. Find out more »

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Weekly Eater: Toronto food events for September 17 to 23

Join Ben Heaton at the Canadian Beer News dinner at the Grove on Tuesday (Image: Renée Suen)

Monday, September 17

86’D With Ivy Knight: Eat, swap and buy preserved goods, and learn about home preserving from Sarah B. Hood, author of Sure We Can, who will be available to answer all your canning questions. The Drake, 1150 Queen St. W., 416-531-5042. Find out more »
Piola’s Monday Night Mixer: Piola’s weekly aperitivo Italiano, with cocktail and beer specials and complimentary snacks. 1165 Queen St. W., 416-477-4652. Find out more »
Preserving the Harvest: Chef Paula Bambrick focuses on different preserving methods, using mostly local ingredients to prepare sweet and savoury specialties like wild blueberry jam, cranberry-raspberry chutney, pickled wild mushrooms and rosemary dipping oil. Kingsway LCBO, 2946 Bloor St. W., 416-239-3065. Find out more »
Rock the Danforth—Pub Crawl: Part of the third annual Toronto Beer Week, Troy Burtch of Great Lakes Brewing Co., along with Sam Corbeil of Sawdust City Brewing and Cass Enright, founder of The Bar Towel and Brewers Backyard, will lead a pub crawl along the Danforth, stopping at five of the neighbourhood’s favourite spots. Starts at 417 Restaurant and Lounge, 417 Danforth Ave. Find out more »
Highland Park Whisky-Tasting Series: Join Highland Park ambassador Marc Laverdiere at The Caledonian for an exclusive whisky tasting. All proceeds go to support the Canadian National Trust for Scotland. The Caledonian, 856 College St., 416-547-9827. Find out more »

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Weekly Eater: Toronto food events for July 9 to 15

The Fringe Festival will be reprising The Stop’s Night Market with its Power of Food Day on Wednesday (Image: Yves Freypons)

Monday, July 9

86’D With Ivy Knight: Party like a Maritimer by enjoying shellfish provided by Confederation Cove Mussels and Rock Lobster Food Company. The Drake, 1150 Queen St. W., 416-531-5042. Find out more »
Piola’s Monday Night Mixer: Piola’s weekly aperitivo italiano, with cocktail and beer specials and complimentary snacks. 1165 Queen St. W., 416-477-4652. Find out more »
An Introduction to Wine Appreciation: An LCBO-led tasting and lecture that will demystify the wine world. This degustation will focus on the four principal wine categories: white, red, sparkling and fortified. Kingsway LCBO, 2946 Bloor St. W., 416-239-3065. Find out more »
Five-Day Kids’ Summer Cooking Camp: A five-day camp that runs Monday to Friday, hosted by The Chef Upstairs. July 9 to July 13. 516 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-544-9221. Find out more »
Locavore Food Camp: A different five-day program that offers city kids a variety of hands-on opportunities designed to increase their physical fitness and help them understand the importance of making healthy food choices. July 9 to July 13. Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Ave. Find out more »

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Weekly Eater: Toronto food events for June 11 to 17

Cherries from the Nathan Phillips Square farmers’ market (Image: Robert & Pam)

Monday, June 11

86’D: Join Ivy Knight for the Blue Ribbon Pie–eating contest. Wash the pies down with boozy lemonade from guest bartenders with The Order of Good Cheer. The Drake, 1150 Queen St. W., 416-531-5042. Find out more »
Sensational Summer Recipes: Marni Wasserman demonstrates recipes for a summer menu perfect for outdoor dining. Marni’s Kitchen, 26 Lauderdale Dr., 647-477-8131. Find out more »
Dolce Vita in Lazio: Chef Massimo Bruno teaches a menu inspired by Roman home cooking. Dish Cooking Studio, 390 Dupont St., 416-920-5559. Find out more »
Piola’s Monday Night Mixer: Piola’s weekly aperitivo italiano, with cocktail and beer specials and complimentary snacks. 1165 Queen St. W., 416-477-4652. Find out more »

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Introducing: Leslieville Pumps, Toronto’s only barbecue joint that’s also a gas station

Brothers Greg Flom (Chief Tasting Officer) and Judson Flom (chef) (Image: Karolyne Ellacott)

Bringing something novel to jaded Torontonians is a pretty tall order. By the looks of it, though, that’s just what brothers Greg and Judson Flom have done with Leslieville Pumps, an east-end establishment that blurs the lines between independent gas station, general store and, yes, barbecue sandwich shop. Says Greg, “We really wanted to create an environment and experience that Toronto hasn’t yet seen.”

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