Posted by Greg Clow in events, events upcoming on November 14, 2008 at 7:51 am
If you've seen any episodes of Gordon Ramsay's UK TV series The F-Word, you'll know his wife, Tana, as the one who complains about the crazy schemes that Gordon comes up with to raise various animals in their back garden. But she's also a chef and cookbook author in her own right, and her tour to promote her third book, Home Made, brings her to Toronto next Wednesday for a live Q&A at Heliconian Hall with Amy Verner of the Globe & Mail.
Also coming up in the next seven days are a couple of opportunities for the deep-pocketed to help out some good causes, with swank benefit dinners supporting Bloorview Kids Rehab, featuring food by chefs from Splendido, Scaramouche, and other top restaurants; and the Ontario Association of Food Banks, with a talk by Jessica Jackley Flannery, co-founder of micro-loan organisation Kiva.org.
The full list of happenings for the next week follows below, and as always, our Events page has more information on these and many other upcoming events in Toronto and area.
continuing until Sun, Jan 11, 2009
Local Flavour: Eating in Toronto, 1830 to 1955
Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street
free admission
This exhibit traces 125 years of culinary history in Toronto from the publication of early cookbooks, the development of household appliances, the rise of manufactured and convenience foods, grocery shops, dining out, victory gardens and rationing during the war years and the growing sophistication of an urban palate.
[more info]
continuing until Sat, Nov 22, 2008
Italian Seasons Festival Autunno/Fall
various restaurants
various times
various prices
The Italian Seasons Festival presented by the Italian Trade Commission celebrates the season with an exclusive Fall inspired menu at Toronto's top restaurants. Local dishes are transformed with the best Italian olive oil, Prosciutto di Parma, Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, Porcini mushrooms and Italian cheeses. From a classic Italian menu to a light dinner alongside some of the most exciting wines you'll find anywhere, you're invited to tour Italy's regions and recipes this Fall by visiting one of the over twenty participating restaurants. For reservations and menu details please see the website linked below.
[more info]
continuing until Sun, Nov 16, 2008
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place
various times
various ticket prices
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is a unique event that takes place every November in the City of Toronto. The Royal is the largest combined indoor agricultural fair and international equestrian competition in the world. Where Canadian and International breeders, growers and exhibitors are declared champions and where hundreds of thousands of attendees come to learn, compete, shop and have a great time with friends and family.
[more info]
continuing until Sat, Nov 22, 2008
Countylicious
various locations in Prince Edward County
various times
various prices
Prince Edward County’s celebration of fine dining featuring prix fixe menus is back. This time round, eleven of the County’s top restaurants will offer three-course culinary creations for $30. Dinner menus, created by each participating chef exclusively for Countylicious, will include a starter, entrée and dessert. Don’t miss your chance to dine on divine food with a down to earth price tag.
[more info]
Fri, Nov 14, 2008
Edible Action Book Launch
Centre for Social Innovation, 215 Spadina Avenue
5:30 to 7:30 PM
free
rabble.ca, Local Food Plus, Fernwood Publishing present the launch of Sally Miller's new book, Edible Action: Food Activism and Alternative Economics. Hunger is up, obesity is up, food-borne illness is up, farmers face challenging economic times; the food system fails growing numbers of people across the world every day. Yet if we adjust our lens, we see ubiquitous commitments to change: food movements and enterprises dedicated to making the world a better place to eat and to live. Food initiatives - from farmers' markets to fair trade coffee - offer a pattern of powerful alternatives to conventional food economics.
[more info]
Fri, Nov 14, 2008
Blue Covenant: Maude Barlow on the Global Water Crisis
Great Hall at Hart House, 7 Hart House Circle
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
free for students - $10 for the general public - tickets available through UofTtix
The Blue Covenant Lecture features Maude Barlow speaking on the global water crisis and the coming battle for the right to water. Barlow has just been appointed as the United Nation's first senior adviser on water issues, a role she hopes to use to establish water as a human right and to convince Canada to "change its shameful position" on the issue. She is the National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians, Canada's largest public advocacy organization and the co-founder of the Blue Planet Project, working internationally for the right to water.
[more info]
Fri, Nov 14, 2008 -- Sun, Nov 16, 2008
Whole Life Expo
Metro Toronto Convention Centre, 255 Front Street West
various times
$15 admission to exhibits and lectures - $8 admission for exhibits only
Whole Life Expo us Canada's largest showcase of natural health, alternative medicine, and eco-friendly lifestyles. With 60 speakers and over 200 exhibitors, Whole Life Expo brings you the most comprehensive array of natural health products and services ever gathered under one roof.
[more info]
Sat, Nov 15, 2008
Shari Darling: "Orgasmic Appetizers and Matching Wines"
The Cookbook Store, 850 Yonge Street
2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
free admission
Book signing with Shari Darling.
[more info]
Sat, Nov 15, 2008
Winemaker's Dinner featuring Vineland Estates Winery
The Little Inn of Bayfield, 26 Main Street North, Bayfield
7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
$100 - call 800.565.1832 to reserve
Indulge at The Little Inn with a gourmet wine tasting dinner designed to showcase select vintages from Vineland Estates Winery. Sharing his intimate knowledge of wine with our chef, the winemaker helps create a menu that reflects the notes of the wine in the taste of the food. Acting as host for the evening, the winemaker then creates an atmosphere of wine appreciation, heightening wine knowledge for his guests and explaining the intricacies of each glass.
[more info]
Sat, Nov 15, 2008
Miguel Torres Winemaker's Dinner
The Millcroft Inn & Spa, 55 John Street, Village of Alton, Caledon
6:30 PM to 11:00 PM
$145 (+ taxes/gratuities) - call 800-383-3976 to reserve
The Miguel Torres Winery has a history spanning 300 years as a producer of fine Spanish wines and is now Spain's best known producer in export markets. Among its many awards and accolades, it was named 2008 European Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. If you are a lover of fine Spanish wines, you'll want to attend this event, which will include a welcome reception, and a six course gourmet dinner menu with each course expertly paired with a Torres vintage.
[more info]
Mon, Nov 17, 2008
An Evening of Possibility
Bloorview Kids Rehab, 150 Kilgour Road
6:00 PM
$1000
To celebrate the launch of the 2009 "Recipes for Possibility" calendar in support of Bloorview Kids Foundation, this gala will feature a formal gourmet dinner prepared by chefs Pascal Ribreau (Celestin), David Lee (Splendido & Nota Bene), Anthony Rose (Drake Hotel), Keith Froggett (Scaramouche) & Bruce Woods (Centro), with each course paired with a wine chosen to compliment their culinary creations.
[more info]
Tue, Nov 18, 2008
Festive Wines
The Richmond, 477 Richmond St W, Unit 104
7:30 PM to 9:30 PM
$75
Does the idea of buying wine for the holiday season make you nervous? What should you buy for all those parties, the gifts and the festive table? Let top sommelier, Anne Martin, introduce you to some of her favorite picks for the season. Brilliantly paired with extra special holiday treats, this will be a tasting to remember.
[more info]
Tue, Nov 18, 2008
Cask Challenge
C'est What, 67 Front Street West
doors at 6:00 PM - tasting at 7:00 PM
$15
C'est What and CASK! have put together a tasting to compare the relative merits of hand-pulled cask ale and the more typical gas dispensed beer. We will be serving five sample pairs of craft brewed goodness for your consideration: C'est What Coffee Porter, Black Oak Pale Ale, Granite Best Bitter, McLean's Pale Ale, and Wellington County Ale. A brewer or two will be on hand to explain the differences in style and production.
[more info]
Wed, Nov 19, 2008
Tana Ramsay
Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave
6:30 PM
$10 advance at The Cookbook Store - 416-920-2665
Behind every great man is an equally talented woman! Whilst husband Gordon garners three stars it's best selling author Tana Ramsay who does the cooking for their four children. Home Made is Tana's third book; her recipes are easy, interesting and flavourful. Tana's books are for mothers who want to cook for the family but don't want to run around town for ingredients and don't have all day in the kitchen. Globe and Mail writer, Amy Verner will talk to Tana about being married to internationally acclaimed chef Gordon Ramsay, whilst running a hectic family household. Tana regularly appears on television in the UK and contributes to food magazines.
[more info]
Wed, Nov 19, 2008
Local Lunch at Palais Royale
Palais Royale, 1601 Lake Shore Blvd West
12:00 noon to 3:00 PM
admission by donation - proceeds to The Dancing Classrooms Project and Evergreen
Chef Steffan Howard will be purchasing locally grown products every Wednesday at the new Evergreen Brickworks Chef's Market. Created in partnership with the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, this new market will connect local farmers with chefs in Toronto. The market will provide our chefs with easy access to locally grown food, to simplify distribution channels, and to strengthen networks between chefs and local growers. To show support for this great initiative by Evergreen, Steffan will be preparing a totally Ontario grown lunch for Palais Royale staff on Wednesdays in October and November, and we want to invite you into our kitchen, meet our staff and have lunch with us. We can inform you about buying and cooking locally and at the same time get to know our neighbours.
[more info]
Wed, Nov 19, 2008
Thought for Food Gala 2008
The Carlu, 444 Yonge Street, 7th Floor
6:00 PM
$250 per person - $2500 per table
Hosted by CBC's Evan Solomon, the second annual Thought for Food Gala is the signature fundraising event of the Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB). Join us for this unique evening as Kiva.org, the world's largest online micro-loan organization, and the OAFB unite to demonstrate a ground-breaking way for you to help end hunger. Jessica Jackley Flannery, co-founder of Kiva.org, will make her first Canadian public speaking appearance at this event, and will share her inspiring personal story to help fight hunger across Ontario.
[more info]
Wed, Nov 19, 2008
Le Clos Jordanne Tasting
cafe Taste, 1330 Queen Street West
8:00 PM
$40 - call 416.536.7748 to reserve
Norizontal & vertical tasting of selections from the Le Clos Jordanne portfolio.
[more info]
Thu, Nov 20, 2008
Hart House Wine Series 2008: Wine Party Tricks
Hart House Music Room, 7 Hart House Circle
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
$35 per tasting - $120 for all four tastings - reserve at (416) 978-8849 or uofttix.ca
Petrol, barnyard and rose water. Do you ever wish you could identify these aromas and the wines that are known for them in a blind tasting? Join Stephanie Kern and Sheila Person as they lead you to discover if a wine is new world or old world, cool or warm climate. This dynamic duo met in a Professional Sommeliers course and have been passionate about dispelling the myths of wine ever since. Both are accredited Sommeliers, Stephanie is from Hart House and Sheila is at the Drake Hotel.
[more info]
Thu, Nov 20, 2008
David Rocco: "David Rocco's Dolci Vita"
The Cookbook Store, 850 Yonge Street
5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
free admission
Book signing with David Rocco.
[more info]
Thu, Nov 20, 2008 -- Sun, Nov 23, 2008
Gourmet Food & Wine Expo
Metro Toronto Convention Centre (South Building), 222 Bremner Boulevard
various times
various ticket prices
Canada's premier gourmet food and drink event, giving attendees the opportunity to explore and learn about nearly every wine region from around the globe, access to premium spirits and sampling from Toronto's finest craft and micro breweries, and the chance to sample cuisine from Toronto's hottest chefs and restaurants. This year's theme country, France, will present a unique voyage through the world of wine and food. The Wines of France pavilion will showcase the savoir-faire, modernity and diversity of French wines, along with food, live entertainment, and a special area known as "Aperitif a la Francaise".
[more info]
Thu, Nov 20, 2008
Wine & Cheese Month: Part Two - 3 Blues (and a Green)
Vineyards Estate Wines, 228 Queens Quay West
7:00 PM
$20 for single seminar - $64 for series of four
Wine & Cheese Month is a series of four wine and cheese tasting seminars presented by sommelier Glen Siegel. Part two: Colour me tasty. Creamy salty blue cheeses cry out for sweet, sweet notes to match. Come join Glen as he sings the blues and pours out his knowledge to a thirsty crowd wanting more! A special green guest is scheduled as well.
[more info]
