Oh noes! Susur is leaving Toronto! The foodie community is all abuzz this week as news of Chef Susur Lee setting up shop in the Big ol’ Apple has been confirmed. Shinan Govani of the National Post indicates that Lee will be shutting down Susur completely, while Sinclair Stewart of the Globe and Mail and Amy Pataki of the Toronto Star are indicating that Susur will close May 31st for a remodel by Lee’s designer wife, Brenda Bent. Pataki also reports that Susur “will relaunched in late summer as a casual shared-plates concept grounded in Europe”. Oh, goody… more tapas. *sigh* Am I the only one who misses dear ol’ Mama Cicconi whose restaurant used to occupy that space?

Elsewhere at the Star, Rob Ferguson reports that restaurants are being urged to use more Ontario wines, with MPPs being urged to persuade restaurants in their ridings to do so. Kim Honey explores the wonderful world of Sichuan, and checks out Le Pain Quotidien, the French bakery causing a stir on Eglinton Avenue. And if bread makes one think of yeast, Josh Rubin reviews a yeasty Orval. Also, Gordon Stimmell is ready for spring with a selection of wines to start off barbeque season.

The global food shortage makes headline news at the Post, where Peter Goodspeed reports that:

Sharply rising prices have triggered food riots in recent weeks in Mexico, Morocco, Senegal, Uzbekistan, Guinea, Mauritania and Yemen, and aid agencies around the world worry they may be unable to feed the poorest of the poor.

We’ve been relatively unscathed here in Canada so far, but prices for staples, especially wheat and rice, are expected to soar this year.

Also at the Post, Jason Chow looks at how the wording of the menu can make or break a dish,  Amy Rosen attends a farmer-restaurant networking event that she likens to speed-dating, a Reuters wire piece explores the philosophy behind Japanese cooking, and The Appetizer blog has a quickie interview with Vancouver chef Josh Wolfe; Juno-related dishes; and mustard potato chips.

At the Toronto Sun, Rita DeMontis sings the praises of butter, with a history of the delicious spread, including some old tyme recipes. DeMontis also previews this weekend’s Wine and Cheese Show, and has a recap of the CFRA/Hostex Show (trade only) of a few weeks back. Elizabeth Baird also discusses the CFRA show, along with other news bits and the bread from Premiere Moisson.

The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain, but according to the Globe, the pigs are all heading for Canada. In the form of Iberian ham. Complete with its own launch party.

Also at the Globe, Chef David Lee shares his excitement at the first halibut of the season (I’m holding out for mackerel), Bill Bunn has an essay about his Melmac coffee mug (gotta say that I’m really liking these food-related essays), Fiona Morrow discusses Parisian wine pawnshops, Beppi Crosariol looks at the chardonnays of Burgundy, and out west, Alexandra Gill compares wine bars.