Posted by Sheryl Kirby in events, events upcoming, foraging, organizations on February 4, 2010 at 1:31 pm
If you've ever travelled outside the city to one of the many maple syrup festivals that take place across Ontario, you'll know how enjoyable the whole process of making maple syrup can be. It's one of those "fun for the whole family" events where people can witness the whole process from the tapping of trees to watching the sap boil, to the sweet, sweet reward of maple syrup or candy at the end.
Sugar maples are considered the ideal tree for making maple syrup, but a number of other types of maple trees, including the Norway maple, have sap that can be used as well. And while they're not so obvious in winter, Toronto has an awful lot of maple trees. Not a full stand of forest where someone could set up a sugar shack with sap lines and make syrup on-site, but certainly enough that if lots of people with maple trees in their yards came together and pooled their sap, it would make for one heck of a downtown sugaring off.
Those wise folks from the fruit-picking organization Not Far From the Tree want to be the ones to host that party. Not content to just pick fruit, berries and nuts during the harvest season, they want to tap some downtown trees, pool the sap and have a big ol' maple syrup party.
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Posted by Sheryl Kirby in contests, donate, events, events upcoming on February 4, 2010 at 10:26 am
Just a reminder - we're giving away a pair of tickets to Palais D'Hiver at Hart House on February 19th.
With a theme of "Through the Looking Glass", this circus of the senses includes aerialists who will entertain and enchant spectators with acrobatics inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Glamour Puss Burlesque will also be performing their take on the Alice in Wonderland story.
There will also be signature cocktails, seasonal beers and wines, plus food offerings at midnight.
To enter, simply head over to our Donate page and make a donation in our tip jar. Everyone who makes a donation will be included in the draw, which takes place on February 7th.
Posted by Greg Clow in events, events upcoming on February 4, 2010 at 7:00 am
EVENTS
Julialicious with Bonnie Stern
Bonnie Stern School of Cooking, 6 Erskine Ave nue
6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
$99 including taxes - 416-484-4810
If you loved the film Julie & Julia, you must have been inspired to head right home, don your pearls and prepare Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon. After taking this delicious class with instructor Bonnie Stern, you’ll be able to do just that, as well as create other dishes for which Julia was famous. Take home gifts including a copy of Julia Child’s memoir My Life in France and a pound of Gay Lea unsalted butter. Part of the Winterlicious Culinary Events Series.
[more info]
DINNERS
Winterlicious Prix Fixe Promotion
various restaurants throughout Toronto
various times
prices range from $15-$25 for lunch and $25-$45 for dinner - see website linked below for full details
The 2010 edition of Toronto's ever-popular winter restaurant promotion, featuring exclusive three course prix fixe menus offered at 150 of Toronto's top dining establishments. (Continues to February 11th.)
[more info]
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Posted by Sheryl Kirby in news and media, on the web, what's cooking on February 3, 2010 at 5:43 pm
Here's what's cooking around town today...
When chefs burn out - not all of them can afford to shut down their businesses for 6 month - or 2 years - to rejuvenate. [Globe and Mail]
K-Market won't be getting that much debated Starbucks, but the corner of Nassau and Augusta will soon be home to a tapas bar. Because we don't have enough of those, apparently. [Torontoist]
I think that for the StuporBowl, people shouldn't just pull out the same out "game food" of wings and nachos. How about foods that are traditional to the hometowns of the teams? Because Hoosier bars and Shrimp Po-Boys sound a hell of a lot better than the same old greasy stuff. [Toronto Sun]
What responsibility do chefs have for not only ensuring sustainability and equality of access in their own work, but in getting the word out to their fans and customers? [Joshna Maharaj's Posterous]
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Posted by Greg Clow in tasting t.o. on February 3, 2010 at 11:55 am
Ryan Storm is 9 years old, and lives in Toronto with his mom, dad, little sister and baby brother and LOVES to eat. He has good taste (no pun intended) and in his quest to eat healthy, organic, local and nut-free foods, he rates and reviews restaurants he goes to with his family on his blog, Ry's Ratings. In his spare time, besides going to school, he reads, reads more, takes karate, hip hop and piano. He is not your average 9 year old, so, please do not suggest McDonald’s, because he would rather starve than go there!
You've got $10 to buy lunch - where do you go?
I wouldn’t even have $10 because my parents pay for my meals all the time and being 9 years old, I eat lunch at school (no cafeteria) during the week. My favourite lunch is a sandwich with Sunbutter and Crofter’s Superfruit Jam on ShaSha Ezekiel bread or pita. Anyways, I barely ever eat anything that’s $10 or less. Or maybe I just don’t know.
The budget's unlimited, someone else is paying and the choice is yours - where do you pick for dinner?
The Harbord Room (89 Harbord Street). Definitely. It’s my #1 choice if I get to choose. My favourite used to be the Drake Hotel (which I still love), but when I went to the Harbord Room, I was blown away. I can’t get enough of it, especially the chestnut and chorizo soup. My sister has a nut allergy and we can’t normally have dessert at restaurants. But they are so nice at the Harbord Room that they make special nut free desserts for us. I especially love the pot de crème.
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Posted by Greg Clow in events, events upcoming on February 3, 2010 at 7:00 am
EVENTS
Winterlicious Getaways: Around the World… On the Fly!
Nella Cucina, 876 Bathurst Street
6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
$60 plus taxes - 416-922-9055 x 21
Warm up in the kitchen at Nella Cucina! Escape for a few hours to another country and learn how to prepare delicious recipes from culinary destinations around the world. Prepare and enjoy a 3-course meal with refreshments, healthy, simple, gourmet winter fare with exotic winter flavours from around the globe. Perfect for everyday dining and effortless entertaining. All classes also include a recipe booklet and a gift from our retail store. Part of the Winterlicious Culinary Events Series.
[more info]
Global Wine Tour: Introduction To Wine Tasting
Fine Wine Reserve, King Street West and Spadina
7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
$49 - call 416-909-0460 to reserve
The "Introduction To Wine Tasting" seminar caters to those who have discovered a passion for wine, but find themselves lacking in knowledge on the subject and want to learn the basic fundamentals of wine tasting. Join David Calado, Global Wine Tour's Administrator, as he takes you on a 3 hour tasting seminar, teaching you the fundamentals of tasting wine, and what to look for in a quality wine. We will provide a tasting flight of 8 very different wines, and as you are tasting each one, you will be treated to a visual presentation using Google Earth and Powerpoint, where you will learn about the major grape varieties, and how climate, geography and wine styles impact the wine being tasted.
[more info]
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Posted by Sheryl Kirby in news and media, on the web, what's cooking on February 2, 2010 at 5:17 pm
Here's what's cooking around town today...
On this, the most revered of holidays, Groundhog's Day, James Geneau ponders if it's possible to eat the things. I've got an Appalachian cookbook that includes recipes for woodchucks, but none of them sound very appetizing. And where in Toronto to find the little critters should you want to eat them? We've actually seen woodchucks along the train line that runs south into downtown through Parkdale. But we've named one of them, so if you're out hunting whistle pig, please don't shoot Chuck. [Gremolata]
This one makes me chortle. The G7 finance ministers meeting will be held in Iqaluit this week - on the menu... seal meat. Let's see how the hypocritical Europeans manage to choke that down. [Globe and Mail]
When it's cold outside, the idea of wrapping yourself in cake, is quite comforting. [Cream Puffs in Venice]
It's a combination of chips and curry and a chip butty - all of which makes for a whole lot of carbs. [Toronto Star]
Wanna be a farmer V.2.0 - Matchbox is also looking for interns to work their urban farm. [Slow Food Toronto]
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Posted by Greg Clow in beer, beverages, spirits, technology, wine on February 2, 2010 at 12:36 pm
As I touched on in my column last week, one of the most frustrating aspects of being a craft beer drinker in Ontario is the haphazard way that the LCBO distributes the products in their seasonal specialty beer promotions. Unlike Vintages releases where the wines usually all show up on the same day as scheduled, the seasonal beers often hit the shelves weeks before or after the official release date, and follow a distribution pattern that is either completely and utterly random, or designed by a malevolent LCBO employee who enjoys toying with the hopes and dreams of beer geeks province-wide.
That's not to say that the wine lovers have it easy. Even though the Vintages releases come every two weeks like clockwork, the more limited items can be difficult to track down. Even some non-Vintages (or in the case of beer, non-seasonal) bottles can be hard to find as stock dwindles, and favourites may be restocked at different times in different locations. The online inventory search at LCBO.com makes it a bit easier to track things down, but the numbers aren't always reliable or up-to-date, and if you don't check it every day (or even multiple times per day), some things can arrive and sell out before you even know about it.
For anyone who can relate to the problems above, there's now an answer to at least some of your problems, in the form of a brand new website called Drinkvine. And it took an especially frustrated and tech-savvy LCBO customer to make it happen.
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Posted by Greg Clow in events, events upcoming on February 2, 2010 at 7:00 am
DINNERS
Slow Food Chef Dinner Series: Ontario Game Dinner
Hank's, 9 1/2 Church Street
6:00 PM
$60 for Slow Food members - $70 for non-members - BYOB (no corkage) - advance tickets at UofTTix.ca
Slow Food Toronto presents a dinner celebrating Ontario game including venison, rabbit, squab and wild boar. Chefs participating will include Joshna Maharaj (Food Studio), Teddy Corrado (C5), Bertrand Alepee (Amuse Bouche), Scott Vivian (Wine Bar/Hank’s), Jason Bangerter (Auberge du Pommier), Mike Steh (Reds), Chris Brown (The Stop), Jason Inniss (Amuse Bouche), Jeff Crump, Scott Baily & Bettina Schormann (Ancaster Old Mill), and Rachelle Vivian (Wine Bar/Hank’s).
[more info]
1st Annual Ground Hog Invitational Challenge
Cava, 1560 Yonge Street
6:30 PM
$75 - call 416-979-9918 to reserve
Chris Macdonald, chef/owner of Cava, has invited six of Toronto's top chefs - Fabio Bondi (Local Kitchen), Ted Corrado (C5), Ryan Crawford (Stone Road Grille), Mark Cutrara (Cowbell), Michael Steh (Reds Bistro and Bar) and Grant Van Gameren (The Black Hoof) - for a cheeky competition and evening of fun happening on Groundhog Day. The chefs will put their best hoof forward and create a cooked or cured ground pork item to accompany Cava's tapas and paella and Henry of Pelham Family Estate Wines, and the best dish will win the soon-to-be-coveted Cava Ground Hog Trophy.
[more info]
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Posted by Sheryl Kirby in news and media, on the web, what's cooking on February 1, 2010 at 6:31 pm
Here's what's cooking around town today...
Eric Vellend was impressed with Mercatto, as were we when we dined there a couple of month back. [Inside Toronto: Menumental]
I don't want to say Michael Smith was robbed on last night's much-touted Iron Chef episode, because I wasn't there to taste any of it, but people, did you SEE the presentation Bobby Flay was sending out? And which he got 14/15 points for? WTF?? That thing with the watermelon was a freakin' mess. And no one made the super-easy and delicious avocado and chocolate mousse. I bet that would have cinched it for Smith. [Toronto Star]
With the Niagara icewine festival over, it's time to start enjoying all those bottles you picked up on your travels. [Gremolata]
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Posted by Sheryl Kirby in events, events upcoming, this month on February 1, 2010 at 2:08 pm
We're all about planning ahead. And while we know that you guys dig our super-comprehensive Events page, and that you appreciate all those daily posts of what to do, sometimes stuff fills up ahead of time, and you need to get in there and book a reservation. So here's a look at the month ahead, with some hand-picked goings-on that we'd like to recommend. Follow the respective links for more info for each listing, or check out our Events page for even more things to do this month and beyond.
Tuesday February 2nd
1st Annual Ground Hog Invitational Challenge
Cava, 1560 Yonge Street
6:30 PM
$75 - call 416-979-9918 to reserve
Chris Macdonald, chef/owner of Cava, has invited six of Toronto's top chefs - Fabio Bondi (Local Kitchen), Ted Corrado (C5), Ryan Crawford (Stone Road Grille), Mark Cutrara (Cowbell), Michael Steh (Reds Bistro and Bar) and Grant Van Gameren (The Black Hoof) - for a cheeky competition and evening of fun happening on Groundhog Day. The chefs will put their best hoof forward and create a cooked or cured ground pork item to accompany Cava's tapas and paella and Henry of Pelham Family Estate Wines, and the best dish will win the soon-to-be-coveted Cava Ground Hog Trophy.
[more info]
Sunday February 7th
Cast Iron Chef Historic Cooking Series: Victorian Valentine Delights
Todmorden Mills Heritage Museum & Art Centre, 67 Pottery Road
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
$15 for children/youth/seniors - $20 for adults
Discover the world of Victorian sweets suitable for your Valentine, and prepare and sample period recipes that will tempt any sweet tooth.
[more info]
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Posted by Sheryl Kirby in SOLE food, farm to table, meat and poultry, product comparison on February 1, 2010 at 11:15 am
The phrase “tastes like chicken” is beyond cliché. We use it for any whitish meat that we can't accurately describe any other way – frog's legs, alligator, lizard – guaranteed someone trying any of these for the first time will compare them to chicken.
But what, exactly, does chicken taste like? The specimens we get in supermarkets or most restaurants are all the same breed (White Rock), probably fed with some mixture of GMO corn and other grain, raised in a barn for optimum growth in a minimal time frame, and likely pumped full of a saline solution during processing to make the meat look plump and full and heavy.
But chickens come in different breeds, and like beef and pork, those different breeds have different characteristics, in the kitchen and on the plate.
At a recent tasting event at Victor Restaurant, participants got to clearly see the difference between breeds, and the phrase “tastes like chicken” no longer applies.
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Posted by Greg Clow in events, events upcoming on February 1, 2010 at 7:00 am
EVENTS
Raj Patel with Ellen Roseman
Bram & Bluma Appel Salon at the Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street
7:00 PM
free
Activist, academic and author of "Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World's Food System" and "The Value of Nothing" Raj Patel talks with Toronto Star finance columnist Ellen Roseman about global markets, redefining democracy, and why everything costs more than we think.
[more info]
DINNERS
Food For Change Dinner Series
The Stop's Green Barn, Barn #4, 601 Christie Street
6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
$75 - $120 with wine pairings - $100 to be part of kitchen crew
Chef Chris Brown with guest chef Mark Cutrara create an intimate, five course dining experience for you to savour under the stars at our fabulous Green Barn. And if you want to experience life in a professional kitchen, join the kitchen crew and help prepare the feast. Proceeds to support The Stop Community Food Centre.
[more info]
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Posted by admin in administrative, announcements, charities, donate on January 31, 2010 at 5:26 pm
First of all, thanks so much to everyone who made a donation to our tip jar in January - regardless of the amount. We didn't quite hit my (probably overly optimistic) goal, but we exceeded Greg's (cranky and cynical) expectations. You've proven that people are willing to pay for and help support small scale independent media! You guys rock!
As we mentioned in the initial post at the beginning of January and on the Donate page itself, 25% of what you donated will be passed on to Not Far From the Tree, an awesome local food charity that works to harvest fruit from privately owned trees and share it with the tree owner, the volunteers who do the harvest, and local shelters and food banks.
Also for January, we have set aside another 25% of our total Tip Jar income which will be directed to Doctors Without Borders towards the relief effort in Haiti.
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Posted by Greg Clow in restaurant closings, restaurant news, restaurant openings on January 31, 2010 at 12:37 pm
Here's this week's round-up of the latest local food and restaurant news...
Closings:
- As rumoured for a while now, Greg Couillard’s Spice Room and David Nganga's Mayata, the sibling restaurants in Yorkville's Hazelton Lanes (55 Avenue Road), have been officially shut down. There's allegedly been a lot of drama behind the scenes, with Toronto Life reporting all the sordid details about bounced cheques, a lapsed liquor license, and other nastiness.
- Those of us who spent much of our youth wandering Queen Street West before it became an outdoor shopping mall remember when Taro Grill (492 Queen Street West) was one of the most upscale restaurants on the strip (although given that our dining out budgets at the time were more suited to the 2-for-1 fajita night at Tortilla Flats, "upscale" was really a matter of perspective). Now, it's one of the latest to close, as a dreaded "Notice Of Termination" letter appeared in the window last week.
- A similar fate has befallen Michelle's Brasserie (162 Cumberland Street), as the charming Franco-Belgian bistro was apparently $55,000 in arrears on rent.
- Neighbourhood bistro Pico (243 King Street East) has closed less than a year after taking over from the very similar Toba.
- Casual Italian eatery Autogrill (495 Eglinton Avenue West) unexpectedly shut their doors for good a couple of weeks ago after a solid run of more than a decade.
- Yet another blow to the dining scene in the Gaybourhood, as the Church and Maitland location of Indian take-out restaurant Veda (506 Church Street) has served its last samosa.
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