I was flipping through the rags at lunch, revelling in the butter spinach from Island Foods, when I started wondering why there is no food event associated with Black History Month. The papers are reporting piles of events, concerts, seminars and lectures, but I can’t seem to find anything food-related. Which is a shame, because trying the many different cuisines at AfroFest last summer was one of my favourite food experiences of 2007. Someone needs to get on the ball and organize an event for next year; food is such a huge part of any culture and Toronto’s Black community has such diverse roots, the food would certainly be varied and delicious.

Leave it to Steven Davey at NOW to fill the void. I given Steven a hard time in this column sometimes, but he deserves credit for always having some topical reviews to coincide with what’s going on in the city.

Continue reading Rag Round-Up - Thursday, January 31st »

Supermarket
268 Augusta Avenue
416-840-0501
Complete dinner for two with all taxes, tip and wine: $80

I really wanted to like Supermarket. But from the outset of our visit, things just didn’t seem to be working well – from the 10 minute wait for our reserved table; the waitress spilling drinks at another table; the table behind us being rushed out while still waiting for food because they needed the table for another reservation; the longer-than-acceptable wait we had for service and for pretty much any food or drink we ordered, to the three comped drinks that they messed up – everything seemed to go wrong for Supermarket.

Continue reading Mediocre Market »

There’s no better way to start a cold winter day than with a hearty bowl of oatmeal, and Jennifer Bain of the Toronto Star explores the many oatmeal options. Bain also reviews a vegetarian cookbook called Tassajaja Cookbook: Lunches, Picnics and Appetizers. Meanwhile, Susan Sampson tries some fancy oils like pistachio and pecan from a company called La Tourangelle.

Also in the Star, Tamsyn Burgmann reviews Dosa City where they offer a “5-foot City Family Dosa”, and Josh Rubin tries a Royal Oak Traditional Bitter.

At the Globe and Mail, they’re getting ready for the Superbowl with recipes and party tips. Also, Keith Froggett makes rhubarb custard, and Cinda Chavich explores the world of high-end coffee.

Rita DeMontis of the Toronto Sun celebrates the many Academy Awards nominations the film Ratatouille received recently with info about the dish and the movie. Elizabeth Baird looks at the many products of StoneMill Bakery, and shares a recipe for a sunny morning egg bake.

Tasty Exposuer: Jewel-like crystal dumplings from Chiu Chow Boy Restaurant (3261 Kennedy Road, Scarborough) allows diners a glimpse of the sweet treasures hidden inside before breaking though its chewy steamed skins.

Snacking is a favourite pastime of mine, and like many fellow snackers, I’m always on the lookout for new things to eat. The GTA hosts a number of great establishments dedicated to the art of snacking - a fact that both my tongue and tummy appreciate. This is the second part of a series dedicated to freshly made snacks from East Asia. Part 1 focused on grilled and fried munchies that you could really sink your teeth into, while this post places focus on sweet endings. Dedicated to entice Torontonians with a sweet tooth, the following highlights features an alternative to the standard meal-enders of coffee and pastries. It’s time to ready those taste buds for more tempting treats, from dessert soups to fruity bubble tea, the options seem endless.

Continue reading Snack Time Feature: the Search for Fresh East Asian Treats (Part 2 of 2) »

It’s happened to all of us: We visit a relative or family friend who doesn’t drink much, and they have a beer or two in the back of the basement fridge left over from a party last Christmas. Being a good host, they offer it to us, and being a gracious guest, we accept it, and spend the next hour choking down a stale or skunky lager that’s about three months past its prime.

The lesson taken from this experience is that beer is a perishable product that’s meant to be consumed as fresh as possible. And for many styles of beer - pilsners, wheat beers, bitters, pale ales, etc. - this is definitely a good rule to follow. But there are a number of beers that will last for months or even years in the bottle, tasting just as good - or even better - when they’re finally opened.

Continue reading Beer of the Week - Fuller’s Vintage Ale 2007 »

It’s so very easy to become a snob in this industry. Whether it’s food, wine or beer, a little bit of experience can evolve into an awful lot of ego, and makes the atmosphere at any event having to do with food, and especially wine, more than a little intimidating for newcomers. Which is no doubt why the words “wine tour” conjure up images of high-society folks with haughty expressions and snooty attitudes sipping and slurping and generally thinking very well of themselves.

Continue reading Cheers to Winter – Celebrating the Icewine Harvest with iYellow Wine Club »

It’s Winterlicious week, and the folks at Spotlight Toronto are aiming to try as many of the participating restaurants as they can. Already, Nina has visited Pangaea, and Suresh reviews La Bruschetta. Suresh also checks out the drinks on offer at Go For Tea.

At Torontoist, they previewed Saturday’s Vegan Chili Cook-off (hey… who won??), Julie Reitsma eats her way across the city’s sushi bars to determine which one is best, and Jaime Woo recommends two different companies that will cook your supper.

Continue reading The Wide, Wide World of Web - Monday, January 28th »

A sudden craving came recently to mind one day, but there was a problem. I only knew it as ke le bin in Chinese. But it’s neither Chinese, nor for that matter originally Japanese as I later found out. A twist on the French croquette, korokke, is typically made with mashed potato or a thickened white sauce base. Eaten as a snack or an accompaniment to curry and rice, it is found in bakeries, supermarkets, and restaurants all over Tokyo.

Continue reading Craving Korokke »

We chat with Alana at Wasabi Cowgirl about her fun and entertaining food blog.

When did you start your blog?
April 2006

How did you come up with the name?
I had just moved to Toronto from the prairies (Edmonton, Alberta), so I was going for an “East meets West” thing. The cowgirl part is a nod to my home province.

Does your blog have a specific focus or area of coverage?
Not really. I write about whatever food-related thing is interesting to me on that particular day. Most of my posts are Toronto restaurant reviews, recipes, or about what I eat when I travel. One of my favourite things about travelling is trying out the “hidden gems” in new cities.

Continue reading Food Blogger Profile - Wasabi Cowgirl »

In the first installment of our column on Toronto food bloggers, we talk with Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice.

When did you start your blog?
I started my blog in December 2005.

How did you come up with the name?
I had been thinking about starting a blog for awhile early in 2005, but couldn’t think of a name that I was happy with. That year I read Marlena De Blasi’s A Thousand Days in Venice. There are several accounts in the book of how the author and her husband would visit their favourite bakery and buy some espresso and some freshly baked pastries and then go enjoy them by the water. It occurred to me that I’d like to have that experience one day of enjoying a pastry in beautiful Venice. Because cream puffs are the first real pastries that I tried and learned how to make, I decided on the name Cream Puffs in Venice.

Continue reading Food Blogger Profile - Cream Puffs in Venice »

Yes, I know it’s pretty much useless to be posting this at almost 11:00 PM, when the day’s papers are already in the recycling and anyone who cares has already read all of the articles linked below. But I was out all day today, and the completist in me won’t let me miss a week, so just humour me, and be thankful that I’m too tired to ramble on too much.

In the Toronto Star:

• Amy Pataki proves that Gina Mallet was wrong about her not liking seafood as she happily sucks back the bivalves at Rodney’s Oyster House.
• Gord Stimmell recommends five reds from last week’s Vintages release.
• Mark Bittman’s syndicated column features whole-grain pancakes.
• Barbara Turnbull profiles Harlan and Norine Clark, a couple who have been selling eggs from their Port Perry chicken farm at St. Lawrence Market every Saturday for over 60 years.
• In the Travel section, Anita Draycott lists some of her favourite places to eat in Puerto Vallarta.

Continue reading In The Papers - Saturday January 26th »

So it’s conclusive, cold weather = great blogging, as we’ve got another selection of really great and interesting posts this week from Toronto food bloggers.

At Blog From Our Kitchen, Elizabeth continues on her quest for perfect sourdough bread, experimenting on something less sour. To go with that bread, Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict explores the restorative properties of jam.

Tracy of Fear and Loathing in the Kitchen gets a letter from the folks at one of our favourite companies, Bubbie’s. And in between home improvement concerns, Brilynn of Jumbo Empanadas (who needs to give her landlord a smack by the sounds of things) finds time to whip up a loaf of awesome-looking challah.

Continue reading Blog-A-Log - Saturday, January 26th »

Love it or hate it, the biggest Toronto food event this coming week is undoubtedly Winterlicious. Reservations for prix fixe seatings at the hottest spots are long gone, but with over 130 restaurants participating, it shouldn’t be hard to score a table somewhere. And as of a couple of days ago, there were still tickets left to some of the high-end Chef Series events, as well as many of the other workshops and presentations taking place throughout the city.

And if you’d rather ignore the whole thing, there are plenty of non-’licious happenings for you to check out. The full list for the next seven days follows below, and as always, our Events page has more information on these and many other upcoming events in Toronto and area.

Continue reading T.O. Events for January 25th-31st »

My dogs always know when the pizza guy is coming. They go crazy when the door buzzer rings and run around the house in a frenzy. Pizza is their favourite food and they believe it is their dog-given right to the uneaten crusts. They are less happy when the pizza comes from Magic Oven, though, since their share of the crust is minimal indeed. I love my dogs, but when I’m having a healthy pizza with organic ingredients, my pups are outta luck because I’m eating the whole thing.

Which is to say, this ain’t your average pizza.

Continue reading This Is Where the Magic Happens »

It’s the end of January, and people are starting to get the blahs. Long dark nights and short days with grey skies will do that, especially for those who didn’t have the foresight to get out in the sun during the summer months. Over at NOW, they’ve got a selection of tips on how to beat the winter blahs, which include Steven Davey’s round-ups of places with great hot chocolate, as well as restaurants with fireplaces. Graham Duncan advises putting some fire in your belly with a selection of warm winter bevvies.

At Eye, I think that rascal Corey Mintz has been cribbing my review of Tati Bistro. Then again, maybe Edith Piaf is the only music they play. And hey, he was able to talk them into firing up the Crepes Suzette at tableside, which I couldn’t do.

Rick McGinnis of Metro visits 7 Numbers and matriarch Rosa. (Note - the piece lists Gio Rana’s, a restaurant owned by a family member, as being on Queen Street West - it should be Queen Street East.)  Also in Metro, Billy Munnelly looks at Italian reds, and the foodie interview this week is with actor Tommy Lioutas.