Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Q&A with UofT's Bulletin

About a month ago I was approached by the University of Toronto's newspaper, the Bulletin, to participate in their 'Off the Clock' series. "'Off the Clock' is an ongoing series of short Q & A's with faculty and staff and their lives outside the university, i.e., what they do ‘off the clock'."

A coworker recommended me to the Bulletin and mentioned my love of food. The Bulletin thought it would be a great idea to focus on that, so most of the Q's were related to that. I even included a recipe in my answers.

You can read the article here.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Playa Cabana Cantina

This past Sunday I went to the Junction Flea Market with some friends. After walking around for a while and making some vintage purchases we were feeling a little peckish. We walked along Dundas until we came to Playa Cabana Cantina. It's a traditional Mexican restaurant, where you're encouraged to eat with your hands - "The tortilla is your plate and your fingers are your forks".

The decor is Junction-themed with neon signage and vintage Mexican film posters.



It's Tapas-style dining, so we ordered guacamole for the table and each ordered two different tacos, and of course, margaritas! The food was incredible and the portions were perfect. I'm already planning my next visit.


Margarita!

House-made chips and guac

Flor De Calabaza Con Queso - Zucchini-blossom with Oaxacan cheese

Ancho-Braised Shortrib - AAA Ontario Beef shortrib braised in ancho chiles on a crispy tortilla with guac, crema, queso

Pollo Tinga - Braised chipotle chicken breast on a crispy tortilla with guac, creme, queso and a Mexican pineapple soda





Monday, September 9, 2013

Smith


A few weeks ago I had a night out with some friends from high school. It was my turn to choose the restaurant and the only suggestion I had was that we dine on a patio. After a quick Google search I came across BlogTO's article "The Best Patios in Toronto". I went through the list and looked at the menus and locations of all the restaurants. My criteria was that it be located somewhere that was easy to get to by all the girls, and have great vegetarian options for my non-meat eating friend. Smith seemed to be the winner, and when we got there we all fell in love with it. It's located at 553 Church (Church and Wellesley) with a hidden patio behind the building.

We loved the open bulbs lighting the patio, as well as the mix-matched plates and cutlery, the chalkboard directional signage and the newspaper-like menu. The food was incredible and we had such a great time catching up and enjoying the atmosphere.

Patio lights and little flower pots


Table setting
Chalkboard directional signage

Newspaper-like menu

Appetizer of bread and avocado spread

Grilled corn-on-the-cob with chili powder, goat cheese and lime juice

Heirloom tomato salad with roasted beets, fennel, cucumber and pickled beats

Myself at Smith








Sunday, September 8, 2013

Shakespeare in the Park

I recently went to Shakespeare in the Park to see MacBeth. They encourage you to arrive early to the park to get a good seat, and we brought along a picnic to enjoy while waiting.

My contribution to the picnic was some aged Cheddar, Brie and homemade Fig and Honey jam. The jam was very easy to make and was a big hit at the park.

I used this recipe from Well Preserved

I used these great figs from Kensington Market!

One of the most important steps of the recipe is to have the mixture boil and reach a temperature of 210 Fahrenheit so the jam sets

The finished product! The fig skins and seeds give the jam a great texture

Enjoying our picnic in High Park while the actors rehearse

Jam and Brie on a cracker - Absolutely delicious!

Thursday, August 22, 2013

European Eating - The Mall Tavern - Throwback Thursday

I recently recommended an awesome restaurant to a colleague traveling to London, and since it's Throwback Thursday I thought I'd write a post about my visit to The Mall Tavern back in 2011.


My best friend Rebecca and I were in London for a little while during our European vacation. We absolutely love London and were so thrilled to spend some time there! Luckily we were able to spend some time with our best friend Katie who showed us some really awesome places in London, including the Hummingbird Bakery.

The Mall Tavern in located in the Notting Hill area, close to the Portobello Road market. After a long day of shopping and exploring, it was the perfect way to wind down. Most pubs in London carry a variety of the same things: fish and chips, beef pie, bangers and mash, etc., all very heavy to keep away the British chill. We were in London in July and it was hot and we felt like having something light and refreshing. The Mall Tavern differs from your average pub and had lots of really yummy items to choose from that matched our appetites that day.
We shared an heirloom tomato salad with warm goat cheese,
pesto flatbread,
and their soda bread (which is made in-house).
We washed it down with a Pimm's Cup!
We enjoyed the food at The Mall Tavern so much that we went a second time! This time we were looking for a more substantial meal and finished it off with dessert.

We each had a serving of the Mac & Cheese with smoked bacon.
I tried the Rose Lemonade which was sweet and bubbly with a hint of floral fragrance.
Rebecca finished her meal with the deconstructed cherry cheesecake,
and I had the toasted marshmallow (made in-house) with raspberry couli, which was flambeed right at the table!
 We absolutely loved everything we ate at The Mall Tavern which is why I always recommend it to friends visiting London. I will certainly go back the next time I'm across the pond.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Muffuletta Sandwich

One of the things we made in my Preserving and Canning class was Giardiniera, which is an assortment of pickled vegetables. You can use this to make an olive tapenade to accompany a Muffuletta sandwich.

Making this also coincided with a Gastropost mission.

Mission #64: Mediterranean Diet
"There must be something in the water of that warm sea that separates Europe, the Middle East and Africa, because the cultures that overlook it — from Morocco to Turkey to Spain — somehow all enjoy delicious (and summer-friendly) national cuisines. Your mission this week is to celebrate the Mediterranean by eating something from the region, whether an old family recipe or a contemporary dish."

See my photo online here.

Here are modified versions of the recipes we used in class:

Muffuletta Olive Tapenade
Ingredients
1 - 1/2 pint jar of Giardiniera (assorted pickled vegetables)
1 cup - Green olives, pitted
1 cup - Kalamata olives, pitted
1 tbsp - Capers in brine
2 - garlic cloves, blanched
1 cup - semi-dried or soft sun dried tomatoes (or 14oz jar of roasted peppers)
1 tbsp - Italian parsley
1 tbsp - Fresh eregano leaves
1 tsp - Crushed red pepper flakes
125 ml - Extra virgin olive oil (or as needed to make the tapenade spreadable)
Splash of red wine vinegar or lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions
  1. Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. With the motor running slowly, drizzle the olive oil until the mixture is spreadable, but still chunky.
  2. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  3. Scoop into a jar, cover and refrigerate at least overnight and up to one week, to let the flavors develop.
Muffuletta Sandwich
Ingredients
1 - Baguette or 10" round loaf of Italian bread
1 - recipe of olive tapenade
120 g - Sliced Genoa salami
120 g - Sliced hot capicollo or ham
120 g - Sliced Mortadella
120 g - Sliced Provolone

Directions
  1. Cut the bread in half lengthwise
  2. Spread the olive tapenade on the bottom side of the bread.
  3. Layer the sliced cheese and deli meats. Top this with more of the olive tapenade.
  4. Replace the top of the baguette and gently press down.
  5. Wrap in plastic wrap, and rest for at least half an hour*
  6. Remove plastic wrap, slice and serve.
*This just allows the juices to soak into the bread. Not necessary if you don't want to wait.


Thursday, August 15, 2013

Published

Hi folks! After a brief hiatus, while I went on vacation, I'm now back and ready to bring you some more posts to read and salivate over!

One of my photos, that I sent to Gastropost, was published in the National Post on Saturday, August 3!

Mission #62: Corn Goes Pop
"Who’s that husky fellow awaiting us at the produce section and farmer’s market? Why, it’s our old friend, fresh local corn, back and tasty as ever. Your mission this week is to take part in an Ontario midsummer tradition: Eat some corn, whether it’s a simple cob or a dish that incorporates its colourful kernels".

Here is the PDF of Saturday, August 3 Gastropost Spread. You'll find my photo in a smaller section called "Taking Food Further"  because I made the food myself instead of taking a photo of something eaten in a restaurant. If the submissions are creations made at home an additional hashtag is included: #further.
The mission was to eat some corn and I made corn relish to top a BBQ-ed burger.

I made the corn relish in my canning class at George Brown a few weeks ago and finally got to garnish something with it. And since it fell in line with the Gastropost mission I took a photo of my meal and posted it on Instagram.

This is a modified version of the recipe we used in class.

Ingredients
1 - Large red pepper, diced (1 1/2 cup)
1 - Large onion, diced (1 1/2 cup)
2 tsp - Kosher salt
5 - Large ears of corn (500 g/3 cups)
250 ml - Apple cider vinegar
150-200 g - Sugar
3/4 tsp - Tumeric
1/4-1/2 tsp each - Allspice, Celery Seeds, Mustard Powder/seeds

Directions

  1. Wash jars and lids in hot soapy water. Place the jars in a large pot lined with a jar rack or clean towels. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Sterilize the jars in the boiling water for 10 minutes. Heat the lids in a small saucepan of freshly boiled water (do not boil).
  2. Cut the kernels off the cob. With the back of the knife, scrape the cobs to extract the milky, starchy juice.
  3.  Place corn kernels and remaining ingredients into a saucepan and simmer until it starts to thicken, about 5-10 minutes.
  4. Spoon the relish into the sterilized jars, leaving 1/4" in headspace. Remove air bubbles with a non-metallic utensil and wipe the rims with a clean damp papertowel. Centre the hot lids on the clean rims and screw the bands on slightly.
  5. Place the filled jars back into your large pot and cover with at least 1 to 2 inches of water. Place the lid on the pot and bring to a full boil. Process the jars for 30 minutes from the point of boiling.
  6. When the time is up, turn off the heat and remove the lid from the pot. Let the jars rest for an additional 5 minutes. Place the jars on a cooling rack or on a counter lined with a towel. Leave then undisturbed for 24 hours. If the lids seam loose, that is ok, do NOT tighten them.
  7. Check the jars to make sure they have sealed properly. The lids should be curved down. Note: if the jars fail to seal, refrigerate and use within 2 days.
  8. Store the jars in a cool, dark place and use within one year. Labeling is recommended.
Note: You could do a version of this with roasted corn.


Sunday, July 21, 2013

Chocolate Chip Cookies





Today was  sort of a lazy Sunday, but I was having a craving for something sweet and decided to make chocolate chip cookies!

I pulled out one of our favourite cookbooks, The Best of Chef at Home by Chef Michael Smith. I have never made his chocolate chip cookies, but I have tried them when my best friend made them and they were pretty tasty. It's a fairly simple recipe and doesn't take much time at all, which is perfect when you have a craving!

I whipped them up in no time and when they were done we enjoyed them out on the back deck with glasses of milk and a game of Bananagrams!


Friday, July 19, 2013

UeaT


I work at the University of Toronto's downtown campus. That means that I eat lunch around there often. I try to pack my lunch most days, but sometimes there's no food at home, or I'm just too lazy!

I've found UeaT to be a great resource."UeaT is about more than just serving food; it is an interactive and dynamic way of thinking about food. Through UeaT, we encourage our customers to understand, interact with, and engage with food. With over 40 cafeterias and dining halls, we strive to provide a wide selection of healthy and affordable meals for our students, staff and faculty members."

This webpage not only provides a list of all the places to eat on campus, but has a food map, recipes, photos, fun facts (did you know: each year, Chestnut Residence hosts “Battle of the Wings“ where 600 hungry students eat 1200 lbs of wings, and vote for their favorite one) and a blog! Their latest blog post is all about Sriracha: the Asian Ketchup, which takes you on a fascinating path and presents you with 4 ways to use Sriracha better.

My favourite place to eat on campus is Sammy's Student Exchange. "Sammy’s is a multicultural pub and cafe inside Hart House. They serve healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner catered for a variety of diets. Sammy’s also features music, a full bar, large screen tv and outdoor patio." I usually get the couscous salad with feta cheese and veggies. It's nice and light and very refreshing on a warm day.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Giardiniera



In class tonight we also made Giardiniera, which is an Italian or Italian-American relish of pickled vegetables in vinegar.

This is a modified version of the recipe we used in class.

Ingredients
1 - Cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 - Fennel bulbs, cored, medium dice
2x 10 oz - Pack of Red Pearl Onions, trimmed & blanched 1 min in boiling water & peeled
10 pcs - Pickling (or Lebanese) Cucumbers, cut into 1/2" slices
400 g - Celery ribs, cut into 1/2" slices
2 - Yellow Peppers, medium dice
2 - Red Peppers, medium dice
6 - Bay Leaves
2 tsp - Peppercorns
4 tbsp - Pickling or Kosher Salt
4 tbsp - Sugar (or more to taste)
2 L - White Wine Vinegar (min. 6% acidity)
1 L - White Wine or Water

Directions
  1. Wash jars and lids in hot soapy water. Place the jars in a large pot lined with a jar rack or clean towels. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Sterilize the jars in the boiling water for 10 minutes. Heat the lids in a small saucepan of freshly boiled water (do not boil).
  2. Combine vinegar, wine, sugar, salt, peppercorns, and bay leaves in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar.
  3. To the boiling brine add the vegetables as listed: cook the cauliflower florets for 1-2 minutes, strain and place in a dish lined with a clean towel. Repeat with all the vegetables. They should be firm, but heated through. Bring the brine back up to the boil.
  4. Mix the blanched vegetables and scoop them into the jars.
  5. Strain the brine over the vegetables, to cover,  leaving 1cm or 1/2" in headspace. Remove air bubbles with a non-metallic utensil and wipe the rims with a clean damp papertowel. Centre the hot lids on the clean rims and screw the bands on slightly.
  6. Place the filled jars back into your large pot and cover with at least 1 to 2 inches of water. Place the lid on the pot and bring to a full boil. Process the jars for 30 minutes from the point of boiling.
  7. When the time is up, turn off the heat and remove the lid from the pot. Let the jars rest for an additional 5 minutes. Place the jars on a cooling rack or on a counter lined with a towel. Leave then undisturbed for 24 hours. If the lids seam loose, that is ok, do NOT tighten them.
  8. Check the jars to make sure they have sealed properly. The lids should be curved down. Note: if the jars fail to seal, refrigerate and use within 2 days.
  9. Store the jars in a cool, dark place and use within one year. Labeling is recommended. 
Note: You can blanch the vegetables in salted water.

Preserved Lemons


Tonight in my Preserving and Canning class at George Brown we made preserved lemons!

Here is the modified version of the recipe we used in class.

Ingredients
12 - Organic Unwaxed Lemons (use Meyer Lemons when in season)
1/4 to 1/3 cup - Unrefined Sea Salt OR 1/2 to 3/4 cup - Kosher Salt

Directions
  1. Scrub the lemons under running water, then dry. Trim the ends if necessary.
  2. Standing a lemon on the stem side, cut into 4-6 wedges. Remove seeds over a bowl to collect the juice.
  3. Put the salt in a bowl. Place a few lemon wedges in a sterilized jar, pressing to release the juice. Layer with 1 tsp of salt, alternating layers of lemons with salt.
  4. Press the lemons as you make the layers, ensuring that they are covered with the brine (salt and lemon juice). Add fresh lemon juice to cover.
  5. Cover the jar with a non-metallic lid and ferment at room temperature for 3 to 4 weeks. The lemons will keep in this mixture for up to a year.
Notes: The brine can be used in salad dressings, added to tangines or couscous.
To use the preserved lemons, remove lemon from jar with a clean utensil and rinse well under cold water. Cut away the pulp from each quarter. Use the skin as instructed in your recipe. The pulp can be finely chopped or pureed and mixed with soft butter.
If a white film forms on the preserved lemons in the jar, just rinse off before using.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Wanda's Pie in the Sky


Today for lunch I walked over to Kensington Market and grabbed a bite at Wanda's Pie in the Sky!

I had a roasted red pepper focaccia sandwich. It's a huge sandwich with lots of yummy fillings including olive spread, arugula, roasted zucchini, roasted eggplant, cheese, and caramelized onions. It is absolutely incredible!! I've found a new favourite. I had the sandwich with a side of coleslaw that had walnuts and dried cranberries in it. Also very yummy.


For dessert I grabbed some Parisian Macaroons and a chocolate pecan tart! I gave the pink macaroon to my friend and ate the green one. It was very sweet and I found it didn't have much flavour. I'm a huge macaroon fan and have eaten the real thing in Paris, so I can truthfully say that this was not the best macaroon I have eaten. The chocolate pecan tart was delicious and a nice treat to get me through the afternoon.


The next time you are in Kensington Market make sure you drop by Wanda's. They have a whole selection of pies (one of my favourites is the banana cream pie!), cakes and cookies, as well as a savory menu of sandwiches, pizza and salads. The atmosphere of  Wanda's is really cool. You can eat in or take out and during the warmer months you can sit out on their patio and have a watermelon slushie if it suits your fancy. If you do eat in, you'll be given your food on colourful dishes, like my blue plate and orange bowl. And if you take it to go it will be wrapped in red and white checkered paper. Either way, it will be delicious.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Summerlicious - 259 Host

Summerlicious is on in Toronto!

"Discover the finest dishes in the city at one of Toronto’s favourite culinary celebrations. Enjoy delicious three-course prix fixe menus at 195 of the city’s top restaurants, all at fantastic price points." This year it takes place from July 5 to 21 and there are lunch and dinner options. Lunches are offered for $15, $20 and $25, and dinners are offered for $25, $35 and $45 at participating restaurants.

Check out the website for more information and to see the menus.

This evening I had dinner with my best friend at 259 Host, an Indian restaurant in downtown Toronto. They were offering a $25 dinner which included an appetizer, an entree with a choice of side, nan bread and rice, as well as a dessert to finish. You can view their Summerlicious menu here.

The menu was large compared to other restaurants I've been to during past Summerlicious and even Winterlicious events. There was lots of variety and we found it very difficult to choose because everything sounded delicious!

The food was great. The atmosphere was nice, it was quiet but started to get busier throughout the meal. We had a great table with a view into the immaculate kitchen. The host and waitress were very attentive and we didn't have to wait too long between courses. The restaurant was clean and had beautiful decorations.

The main level is accessible to wheelchair users, but the washrooms are not. Typical Toronto restaurant.

Overall, our experience was wonderful! I would go back there and I definitely recommend 259 Host.  

Our meal:
Matching glasses of Riesling
Lentil Sprout Salad with cucumber, potatoes, limes, mangoes, peppers in a cumin olive dressing 




Lazeez Nan, tandoori baked bread stuffed with spinach and goat cheese
Butter Chicken served with Chana Masala (chick peas), rice and salad
Saag Paneer served with Dal Bukhara (black lentils), rice and salad
Kesari Gulab Jamun Cheese Ball in saffron flavoured sugar syrup
Rasmalai Spongy homemade cheesecake in thick, sweetened flavoured milk