Here’s a round-up of the food & drink articles in Toronto’s papers today…
National Post:
- Gina Mallet finds little to like at Truffles, where almost every dish she's served tastes bitter.
- Margaret Swaine recommends three "smooth, appealing, food-friendly reds" from Southern Italy.
- Lia Grainger checks out the spicy dosa eating contest presented by Udupi Palace at the Festival of India warm-up event last Monday.
- Jon Bricker and Kate Swoger travel north for a taste of the south, and find some tasty Mexican grub at La Taquizza in Vaughan.
- Amy Rosen investigates the culinary trend of creating desserts using both sweet and savoury ingredients (helloooo, chocolate biscuits wrapped in crispy chicken skin, where have you been all my life??) [IRC editor's note: /me dies]
- Adam McDowell returns from the recent Tales of the Cocktail conference in New Orleans and reports on what's out (vodka, Canadian whisky) and what's in (gin, American whiskey, absinthe).
- Bonnie Stern shares some recipes developed by Valerie Seto, head chef at her cooking school, using local ingredients provided by Constance Guitard of Weezie's.
Toronto Star:
- Corey Mintz appreciates the nose-to-tail approach that the Queen & Beaver is taking with their menu (lamb's tongue, ham knuckle and bone marrow all make appearances), but he finds that the execution often doesn't live up to the intentions. [Editor's Note - Corey, dude, I can't believe you didn't try the cod cheeks and tongues! OMG!]
- Gord Stimmell is happy to see that there are quite a few decent sub-$20 wines in today's Vintages release.
- Linda Barnard has the recipe for a perfect mojito.
- Mark Bittman puts leftover veggies to good use in a vibrant pea dip with parmesan.
- Nick Aveling confirms that the cool summer weather is causing a poor harvest for area farmers, and Danielle Wong shares the news that we could be in for the worst outbreak in years of late blight, a fungus that kills potatoes and tomatoes.
- Emily Mathieu reports on a small group of grocery stores in several Ontario towns that recently split from the Sobeys chain in order to start selling locally sourced meat and produce.
Globe & Mail:
- Chris Johns has a flashback to every generic Italian restaurant he's even visited when he eats at Florentia. And he's also in agreement with previous opinions that the food being served at the Toronto a la Cart street vendors is generally pretty lousy.
- Beppi Crosariol schools us on gaglioppo, aglianico, nerello cappuccio, grillo, zibbibo and other obscure Italian grape varietals that are being featured in the latest Vintages release.
- Lucy Waverman makes le grand aioli, a heaping platter cold meats, veggies and dip that's a perfect summer meal.
- Patrick White reports that Ottawa is considering a cull of up to 20% of Canada's hog herds to help farmers deal with the lethal combination of dropping pork prices and rising feed costs.
