wasabi cowgirl

New Beginnings

2009-07-16T16:15:00.003-04:00

Hello, friends!

It's been a while, hasn't it? While I don't know if I'll ever resurrect Wasabi Cowgirl, I'm happy to say that I've decided to re-enter the food-writing community with Peanut Butter and Pickles, a new blog that will consist mostly of restaurant reviews around the Junction, the GTA, and wherever my travels take me. This new site is a collaboration with my funny, gorgeous, and generally amazing boyfriend Rich, and we hope to bring a silly and casual (but still informed) dynamic to the Toronto restaurant-reviewing scene. I hope you'll come visit us at our new digs!

http://pbnp.wordpress.com

Hiatus

2008-06-24T20:52:00.003-04:00

Hey y'all -- in case you haven't noticed, this blog is on a bit of a hiatus while I deal with some personal stuff. Suffice it to say, I don't have much of an appetite these days and, as such, blogging about food doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Don't worry -- I'll be back eventually. In the meantime, please enjoy some of the kickass blogs in my 'roll to the right.

Review: B Restaurant

2008-05-03T14:21:00.003-04:00

Few things hit the spot better on a dreary, drizzly, mildly-hungover Saturday than a big piping hot serving of fresh, homecooked brunch. Lucky for Dave and I, a couple of our good pals and their adorable toddler Erin came to visit us on this particularly gray weekend with the express purposes of chowing down on some brunch and catching up with eachother. We had heard good things about B Restaurant (2210 Dundas West) in Roncesvalles Village, so we dragged our sleepy butts out into the rain in search of delicious eggs.

B is a cozy little space with an open kitchen and eclectic decor, and appears to do brisk business on Saturday afternoons -- the place was packed! Fortunately, a group was just leaving when we arrived, so we were promptly seated and given some water to sip on while we perused the giant blackboard menus on the walls. B specializes in brunch and lunch, with a wide variety of eggy goodness alongside some amazing-sounding french toast (with berries and brie!), something called the "Hobo Scramble" (may contain hobos), and at least a dozen unique and mouth-watering sandwiches and burgers. Three of us were drawn to the eggs benny with tomato, corn, and jalapeno, while Dave went for the omelet with duck and apple sausage and Erin chose "tupperware Cheerios."

It should be noted that our waitress was amazing -- super friendly and attentive, and quick to bring replacement cutlery when Erin decided that forks belong on the floor. When she brought our food out, we were overwhelmed by the cuteness of the little radish "B" that we found on top of our side salads. Once we got over the thrill of novelty garnishes, we noticed that the rest of our meals looked damn good as well. Those of us with the eggs benny found two perfectly-poached eggs atop homemade biscuit halves with fresh tomato slices and a flavourful corn and jalapeno sautee. The whole mess was covered in a heavenly buttery-tasting hollandaise and sided with crispy and nicely spiced homefries. This was probably one of the most delicious brunch dishes I've ever tasted, and definitely the best eggs benedict I've experienced. Dave was also impressed with his fluffy omelet stuffed with big slices of sausage and juicy chunks of apple. With regard to her Cheerios, Erin said, "Zababababa."

I think B is my new favourite brunch spot, and I can't wait to go back to try some more items from its ridiculously tasty menu. This is homecooked comfort food at its best, and I couldn't have imagined a better hangover cure on this rainy Saturday.

10 soylent hobos out of 10
(why not? -- a bellyfull of rich and delicious hollandaise is making me feel generous)

Cookbook Challenge #6: Yet Another delicious. Lasagna

2008-04-28T20:36:00.004-04:00

Hello! I'm still alive! I know I've been a negligent blogger -- I've been preoccupied with choosing a caterer for the wedding, and this distraction has been compounded by the Tivo that Dave got me for my birthday. The altars of new-school Degrassi and Melrose Place have been attracting my worship more than the computer these days. The good news is that a caterer has been chosen and Melrose is in repeats-of-repeats. As such, I'll be brushing the cobwebs off of this here food blog in short order.

I've written about my fave food publication delicious. before, as well as one of my all-time favourite lasagna recipes that came from an issue of this Aussie mag -- it's one of my go-to sources for fresh and inventive recipes. However, the cookbook that I received with my latest subscription has been sitting on my shelf for months. 5 of the best by Valli Little contains recipes from delicious. magazine, sorted by themes of 5 dishes each (such as "5 of the best baked pastas" or "5 of the best savoury tarts") and rounded out with beautiful photography. Since I had such great success with the other delicious. butternut lasagna, the below iteration with rosemary, spinach, and goat cheese seemed like it would be a worthwhile effort. I wasn't wrong -- the tanginess of the chevre complimented the sweet squash and savourly rosemary perfectly. I was also super-impressed with how flavourful this lasagna was with a minimum amount of cheese -- I'm all for guilt-free indulgences, and this dish fits the bill. Give it a try!

Butternut & Goat Cheese Lasagna

1 kg butternut squash, peeled and chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced (leaves only)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 leeks, washed and thinly sliced
300g baby spinach leaves
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400ml good quality tomato passata (sieved tomatoes)
fresh lasagna sheets
150g soft goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the butternut with 2 tbsp olive oil, half the rosemary, and salt & pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, until tender. Transfer to a bowl, mash, and set aside.
2. Heat the remaining oil and butter in a medium pan over low heat. Add the leeks and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the spinach and garlic, and cook for another couple of minutes until the spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Grease a 23cm X 15cm dish. Spoon 1/4 cup of the tomato passata into the bottom of the dish, season with salt & pepper, and spread evenly. Place a sheet of lasagna on top of the passata, and spread with the mashed butternut. Add another layer of lasagna, then another 1/4 cup of passata, and then the leek-spinach mixture.Finally, add another layer of lasagna and spread it with the remaining passata.
4. In a small bowl, toss together the goat cheese, parmesan, and remaining rosemary. Sprinkle this mixture over the top of the lasagna. Cover the dish in foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and return to the oven for another 15 minutes, until the cheese begins to brown. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

serves 6

Cookbook Challenge #5: Salmony!

2008-03-09T12:06:00.007-04:00

Late last year, I was browsing through the BMV on Bloor and happened upon a copy of Salmon by Diane Morgan for a ridiculously low price. Like tuna, salmon is a fish that I hated to eat as a child, but have warmed up to since I started eating fish again post-vegetarianism. However, I still find it fairly intimidating to cook. Since Salmon is filled with mouth-watering photos and fairly simple instructions, it seemed like the perfect tool to help break me of my fear of this delicious fish.

I finally got around to using this cookbook once we returned from our Christmas vacation, and the honey-soy broiled salmon looked like the perfect thing to warm us up on a cold winter night. This recipe was very easy to make, and the only hiccup I encountered was when our super-sensitive smoke alarm wouldn't stop going off during the cooking process. Served on top of a simple sweet potato mash and some wilted spinach, the end result was a piece of perfectly-cooked fish that was both sweet and salty, with a tiny kick of wasabi heat. It was super-tasty, and I can't wait to make another recipe from this book. Salmon, you're not so tough after all.

Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon

2 salmon filets (6oz each)
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1/4 cup mirin
1/2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

Sauce

2 tsp wasabi powder
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup honey

1. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, and ginger. Pour over salmon (in a small baking dish or a large zip-top bag), and marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Just before cooking the fish, make the sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the lime juice, wasabi, soy sauce, and honey. Warm over medium heat until the sauce comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Turn the heat to low and simmer sauce until it thickens and becomes syrupey, about 2 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
3. Arrange an oven rack about 4 inches from the heat source and pre-heat the broiler. Remove the salmon from the marinade, and wipe off extra liquid. Place the salmon on a baking sheet, skin side down if you are using filets with skin, and broil until it begins to colour, about 3 minutes. Turn the salmon and cook for about 3 minutes longer, until almost opaque throughout.
4. If applicable, remove the skin from your salmon and serve immediately. You can serve this with steamed rice, but I put it on top of some sweet potato mash and wilted spinach.

serves 2

Review: Westwood Grill

2008-01-30T11:45:00.000-05:00

Since we moved to Toronto three years ago, Dave and I have been on the hunt for a reliable local Chinese delivery joint with delicious food -- in the High Park area, this is a rare commodity. Until last week, we had settled for pretty good, but annoyingly bland Chinese take-out from a friendly little place down the street. Then we discovered Westwood Grill (519 Annette St).

The menu at Westwood Grill is large and varied, with enough flavour offerings to curb almost any craving. It also has many more veggie and seafood dishes than your typical Chinese restaurant. Last week, Dave and I decided to order a wide sampling for delivery: veggie fried rice, salt and pepper crispy tofu, broccoli in garlic sauce, General Tao jumbo shrimp, and sesame jumbo shrimp. I was told our food would arrive in 45 minutes, but it was on our doorstep in 30 -- a nice surprise.

The portion sizes at Westwood Grill are very generous, so we found ourselves in front of a mountain of food after we unpacked the delivery bags. Everything smelled amazing, so we dove in immediately. The most basic dish we ordered, the veggie fried rice, impressed with an absence of frozen mixed vegetables -- the savoury rice was mixed with big chunks of fresh veggies and tasty egg. The broccoli in garlic sauce was perfectly cooked, with a bit of bite, and the sauce was deliciously garlicky but not overpowering. The salt and pepper tofu pieces were little bite-sized spicy flavour explosions, and the General Tao shrimp dish included massive prawns in a fantastic spicy, sweet, and savoury sauce -- highly recommended. The only disappointment for me was the sesame shrimp, which came in a creamy sesame-based sauce that I found to be a little dull.

I'm ecstatic that Dave and I have finally found a nearby delivery place that rivals some of the best Chinese take-out I've ever had the opportunity to taste. I can't wait to try more of Westwood Grill's huge menu.

9 pony expresses out of 10

Tampopo: Meh.

2008-01-17T15:52:00.000-05:00

Widely considered to be the best food movie of all time, I finally got around to seeing Tampopo before Christmas. I think my expectations were set too high going in, because I have to admit I was a little disappointed in this cute foodie flick.

The story in this "noodle western" loosely revolves around the proprietress of a ramen shop, Tampopo (Japanese for "Dandelion"), and her quest for the perfect bowl of noodles. I say "loosely" because there are a number of bizarre food-related sketches peppered throughout the movie that regularly interrupt the main story. These include charm school spaghetti-eating lessons, and the funniest/grossest sex-food scene ever put on film.

One of my problems with the movie is that Tampopo is depicted as a helpless half-wit who requires the help and instruction of a group of men to make a decent bowl of ramen. Additionally, all of her recipe improvements are directly stolen from other chefs -- she has no original ideas whatever. As such, Tampopo basically floats through the movie like a puppet and when she finally makes the "perfect" bowl of noodles, it doesn't feel like much of an accomplishment.

While I had issues with Tampopo, I had no problems with another character: the food! The sensuality of eating is a major theme in this film, and the director's love of food is clear. There's no way you can make it through this movie without some of your favourite snacks.

I'm glad I watched Tampopo, but my favourite food movie of all time (Babette's Feast) made it through the battle without a scratch. In fact, there are several I would place above Tampopo in a Top 10 list: Big Night, Eat Drink Man Woman, God of Cookery, and even Ratatouille.

For any animal lovers, beware that there is a live turtle execution in this film.

Cookbook Challenge #4: Happy New Year!

2008-01-10T17:57:00.001-05:00

I hope y'all had as great a holiday season as I did! With almost a month off of work, Dave and I headed south to enjoy the beautiful island of Maui. We had an amazing time, and ate a lot of fantastic meals. I'll be posting about many of them in the near future -- stay tuned!

With the return of the daily grind comes a desire for simple, easy-to-prepare dinners. There's nothing simpler than a slow cooker and, happily, my brother gave me a copy of Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Robin Robertson a few years ago that I had yet to use. Since Hoppin' John is supposed to bring luck in the new year, Robertson's slow cooker version seemed appropriate.

This recipe was easy to throw together, which you would expect from a slow cooker cookbook, and it was divine to come home to a fragrant pot of bubbly beans and tomatoes after a hard day at work. My expectations for this dish were low, because most of the vegetarian slow cooker recipes I've tried have come out bland, bland, bland. Not this one. Diced green chiles give the comforting beans n' rice a heat that warms you from the inside out, and I added some red chile flakes for an extra kick. Even the notorious bean-hater Dave cleaned his plate. What a great (and lucky!) start to the new year.

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Hoppin' John

2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
large pinch red chile flakes
3 cups cooked/canned black-eyed peas
one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
one 4 oz can diced green chiles, drained
1 cup veggie stock
8 oz vegetarian sausage, crumbled
3 cups cooked brown rice
salt & pepper

1. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, thyme, chile flakes, and a dash of salt & pepper to the pan, and saute until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic, cook for one minute, and remove from heat.
2. Transfer onion mixture to a slow cooker. Add the black-eyed peas, tomatoes, chiles, and stock. Season with salt & pepper, cover, and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
3. About 15 minutes before serving, heat the remaining oil in a pan and brown the veggie sausage. Add the sausage and rice to the slow cooker, stir to combine, and season with salt & pepper to taste. Enjoy!

serves 4

Mele Kalikimaka!

2007-12-07T19:31:00.000-05:00

I'm off to Hawaii and then Alberta for the holidays, so there won't be any new posts here for a few weeks. See y'all when I get back!

Cookbook Challenge #3: Very Nice!

2007-12-04T18:36:00.000-05:00

Soft, fresh bread is probably my biggest food weakness. I love it as part of a sandwich; I love it plain, topped with creamy butter; I just love it. As such, I was psyched when I first came across the original ACE Bakery Cookbook a few years ago -- so many great recipe ideas using yummy, yummy bread! Beacuse of this book, one of my more exciting realizations when I moved to Toronto was that I could finally buy fresh ACE bread from my local grocery. Yay!

Last Christmas, my mom gave me the second ACE cookbook: More from ACE Bakery. This sequel is pretty similar to the original, with lots of mouth-watering photography and amazing-sounding recipes. Even so, I just never got around to using it. Until now.

Flipping through its pages the other day, one photo really jumped out at me: creamy-looking egg-salad piled high on fresh multigrain bread with fresh tomato slices and lettuce, topped with three beautiful asparugus spears. It looked So. Good. I decided to make the "Really, Really Nice Egg Sandwich" myself, and found the most difficult part to be finding plain 2% yogurt at the grocery store (note: this wasn't very hard). I'm happy to say that this sandwich tasted as good as it looked -- the eggs were perfectly creamy and tangy, and paired nicely with the fresh veggies. I used the best-quality unsliced multigrain bread I could find, and its pillowy soft interior went great with the smooth eggs, while its nutty, crisp crust made things interesting. I served these sandwiches with some extra steamed asparagus and a nice, garlicky aioli. It made for an extremely satisfying light meal. Enjoy!

Really, Really Nice Egg Sandwich

3 eggs, hard boiled and peeled
6 asparagus stalks
3 tbsp 2% or 4% yogurt
heaping 1/4 tsp Dijon
generous 1/4 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
heaping 1/4 tsp kosher salt
2tsp fresh chives, minced
2 to 4 leaves boston lettuce
2 thick slices flax or multigrain bread
1 large tomato, sliced
freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste

1. Steam the asparagus until cooked through, but still crisp. Shock with cold wate, drain, and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the Dijon, yogurt, chives, lemon juice, and kosher salt. Grate the hard boiled eggs into the yogurt dressing (use the large holes in your grater) and gently toss. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place the lettuce on the bread slices and top with tomato slices. Pile on the egg salad and arrange the asparagus on top. Finish with a generous grind of fresh pepper and serve open-faced.

serves 2

Going Back to Hali

2007-11-27T21:09:00.001-05:00

Howdy! November has been a crazy month for this cowgirl, and I apologize for my lack of updates. Part of the reason I went all Madeleine McCann on you (too soon?) was because I was on the road for work much more than usual. It's not all bad -- this time I had the opportunity to visit a city I had not been to before, but always wanted to check out: Halifax!

Even in chilly November, Halifax is a beautiful city to stroll around -- it's got some really interesting architecture and charming old buildings in the downtown area. I was surprised to find that the shopping is so good in Halifax, and I found several cute indie shops that I wished I could pack up and take back to Toronto with me (especially Sweet Pea Boutique, which has an excellent collection of frocks).

In addition to the shopping, I was quite taken with the food I sampled while in town. During my short stay I managed to fit in three restaurants, all of which made for tasty fun:

Gio (1725 Market Street)
On my first day in town, I headed over to the reastaurant in the Prince George Hotel, Gio, for lunch. I had read great things about this new-ish spot on Chowhound, and I was looking forward to trying it out myself. The decor in Gio is mod, but not ridiculous (in comparison to, say, Otto in Montreal). Once seated by my friendly waiter I found myself surrounded by rich reds, deep browns, and subtle lighting -- cosy, and very nice.

From the short lunch menu, I selected "gio soup" to start (butternut, with toasted pumpkin seeds), and a salmon wrap with string frites for my main. While I waited for my soup, I was given a basket with a variety of tasty fresh breads and some soft butter -- the bread service at Gio is well above average. My soup arrived shortly thereafter: deep orange in colour and garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds, with an intoxicating fragrance welcoming me to dig in. As I did, I was rewarded with a flavourful, smooth and rich mixture of butternut and spice that was contrasted with the crunchy, nutty flavour of the pumpkin seeds. Heaven!

When my salmon wrap arrived (pictured above), I was somewhat disappointed to find that the flour tortilla was a little dry, and of no higher quality than the mass-produced variety that you can pick up at the local grocery. However, the filling (smoked salmon, cucumber, greens, havarti, and a light dressing) was top-notch. The meaty salmon had an interesting smoky maple flavour and the bright greens were fresh as can be. The combination of flavours in the wrap was very satisfying, and it made for a nice light meal. The string frites on the side were also delicious, especially paired with a light aioli.

Considering the quality of my meal at Gio and the impeccable service I received, I found it to be an excellent value. I will be back to try some of the other items on the menu next time I visit Halifax.

Salvatore's Pizzaiolo Trattoria (5541 Young Street)
Touted as "the best pizza in Halifax," I had to give Salvatore's a try while I was in Oceantown. Based on an online recommendation (since there is no online menu), I called up Salvatore's and ordered a Quattro Formaggi pie for delivery. Less than an hour later, I was opening up a pizza box to find the strangest-looking pizza I had ever seen. It looked like a pizza with the edges folded over several inches. The non-folded-over area of the pie was covered with a golden-brown egg-cheese mixture and fresh herbs. With no tomato sauce, this pie was nothing like what I was expecting -- I dug in anyways. What a pleasant surprise! The Quattro Formaggi is more like a quiche than a pizza, with a rich, cheesy custard-like texture and flavour. I was glad that I tried it, but I think I would have preferred one of Salvatore's more "standard" pies for my first taste of "the best pizza in Halifax." Oh well!

Hungry Chilli (5234 Blowers Street)
On my last day in town, I met a friend for lunch at a hole-in-the-wall Szechuan place that I had heard about: The Hungry Chilli. Tiny and unpretentious, this restaurant serves up some of the most flavourful Chinese food that I have ever tasted. I ordered the "Hot Numbing Shrimp" lunch special, which came with rice and a spring roll for a ridiculously low price. My food arrived fast and the portion size was extremely generous. My spring roll was fat, crispy, and pretty much perfect. The shrimp was stir-fried with a mound of fresh, flavourful veggies and smothered in an amazing sauce flecked with large chunks of hot chilis. Despite its spicy heat, the sauce still had deep and wonderful, multi-layered flavours that shone through -- much to my delight. Highly, highly recommended.

Cookbook Challenge #2: Creepy Edition

2007-10-31T19:23:00.000-04:00

BOO! With the scariest season of the year upon us, it was a no-brainer for me to make It Came from the Kitchen by Geoff Isaac and Gordon Reid my second virgin cookbook challenge. Acquired at the 2007 Festival of Fear, this cute little tome boasts "Monstrously delicious celebrity recipes from Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, assorted aliens, and beyond!" From deviled eggs (natch) and "Vampire Broth" to Salmon en Croute and Risotto Con Piselli E La Lattuga (a favourite of Vincent Price), the recipes included in It Came from the Kitchen span the world, outerspace, life, and the afterlife. Peppered with anecdotes and trivia about some of the biggest names to ever make you pee your pants, the authors' passion for film and food is obvious, making this cookbook a delight to use.

Choosing my first recipe from It Came from the Kitchen was difficult, but I landed on a shrimp dish attributed to Paul Naschy, the "Spanish equivalent to Lon Chaney and Bela Lugosi." It stood out to me because of its simplicity, Spanish-ness, and heavy inclusion of beer. Beer makes everything better, no? Exceedingly simple to make, Shrimp and Beer with Tomatoes features clean, bright flavours and a mess of tasty broth to soak up with fresh crusty bread (I recommend a nice olive loaf). The recipe claims to serve two, but that would only be possible if it were a romantic dinner for Godzilla and Mothra -- Paul Naschy must have an unreal appetite. This recipe can easily serve three, maybe four.

Happy Halloween, y'all!

Paul Naschy's Shrimp and Beer with Tomatoes

1.5 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup spanish onion, diced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
1 bottle beer
2 tbsp tomato paste
a few dashes hot sauce

1. Warm the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic, and cook slowly until soft. Add the shrimp and beer, and boil until the shrimp just begins to change colour to pink.
2. Add the tomatoes, hot sauce, and tomato paste and stir to combine. Simmer until shrimp is fully cooked, and remove from heat. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with fresh crusty bread for dipping.

Serves 3

Cookbook Challenge #1

2007-10-14T20:21:00.000-04:00

I love collecting cookbooks. When I get a new one, I always sit down and read it from cover to cover, like a novel. Because of this obsession, I've amassed quite a few cookbooks over the years. However, a recent inventory showed me that there are 13 of them that I have never cooked from. For shame!

In an effort to correct this, I've included a challenge in my 101 in 1001 list to make something out of every cookbook I own. One of the ones that had been previously overlooked is Eat, Shrink, and Be Merry by Janet and Greta Podleski, which Dave's mom gave to me a while ago and I just never got around to using. I generally shy away from "low fat" cookbooks, because my past experience with them has often led to boring, flavourless dinners. I hoped this foray into Dietland would end in tastier results.

As I leafed through Eat, Shrink, and Be Merry, a recipe for Tofu Parmesan jumped out at me (called "Parma Chameleon" -- the sisters Podleski like to use twee, punny names for recipes in their cookbooks. Some find this cute, but it makes me cringe.). I like tofu. And cheese. And tomato sauce. It was an easy decision.

This recipe was very easy to throw together, and I served it over some lightly-seasoned spaghetti squash instead of pasta (if you're going healthy, you might as well go all the way). The results were fantastic -- crispy tofu cutlets with flavourful browned mozza and spicy tomato sauce. I would make this again in a second.

One down, twelve to go!

*Note: The recipe in the cookbook makes way too much breadcrumb mixture, so I've corrected the proportions below.

Tofu Parmesan

1lb firm tofu
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan (fresh grated, ideally)
1/2 tsp each dried basil and dried oregano
a pinch red chile flakes
1/4 tsp each salt and freshly-ground pepper
1 egg
1.5 cups of your favourite tomato sauce (I used Classico Spicy Red Pepper)
6 slices mozarella
1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a baking sheet
2. Drain tofu and blot dry with paper towel. Slice block into 8 even slices (about 1/2 inch thick), and blot slices dry again with paper towel.
3. Combine bread crumbs, 2 tbsp parmesan, basil, oregano, chile flakes, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Place egg in another shallow bowl and beat lightly.
4. Working with one piece at a time, dip tofu in egg to coat, and then in crumb mixture. The slices should be well-covered with crumbs. Place coated tofu on baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through the cooking time. Remove tofu from oven.
5. Grease an 8x8 baking dish, and pour 1/2 of your tomato sauce in the base. Place browned tofu in a single layer on the tomato sauce and top with remaining sauce and parsley. Cover tofu with sliced mozarella and remaining parmesan. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes and then finish the dish under the broiler to brown the cheese. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4

Spaghetti Squash

Pierce squash all over with a knife. Place entire squash in the microwave, and cook on high for 12 minutes. Once cooked, allow squash to cool slightly before cutting in half and removing seeds with a spoon. Use a fork to "shred" the flesh of the squash, and transfer it to a bowl. Toss with 1 tbsp butter and season with salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste.

I Ate a Hippopotamus for Lunch!

2007-10-08T13:25:00.000-04:00

One of the easier food-related tasks on my 101 in 1001 list was to eat a bowl of Zoodles with toast, which was a childhood favourite meal of mine. I completed this task yesterday when I ate a hippopotamus (and some zebras and elephants) for lunch. While not as delicious as I remembered, my bowl of animal-shaped noodles in tomatoey sauce made for a perfectly serviceable nostalgic lunch with toast. One down, thirty-six to go!

37 in 1001

2007-10-04T17:13:00.002-04:00

I've decided to make a 101 in 1001 list. This is a challenge that has been floating around the Intarweb for a couple of years now, where the participant makes a list of 101 tasks that she would like to complete within 1001 days (roughly 2.75 years).

As I finished my list today, I noticed that a big chunk (about one third) of my tasks are food-related -- I guess that goes to show where my interests lie! These 37 tasty tasks are listed below, and I'll blog about each of them as they're completed. My deadline is July 2, 2010. Wish me luck!

1. Cook a whole lobster
2. Eat some Chicago-style pizza in Chicago
3. Make some Chicago-style pizza at home
4. ~~Eat at one of Perigee or Splendido~~ Done!
5. Bake a loaf of bread
6. Go on a picnic
7. ~~Watch Tampopo~~ Done!
8. Make a pie from scratch
9. Barbeque once per week for a month
10. Cook a complete Indian dinner (including bread!)
11. Be able to say I've cooked something out of every cookbook I own
12. Grow tomatoes
13. Make pupusas
14. Make authentic polenta
15. Go vegan for one week
16. Eat at every restaurant in the Junction
17. Go to a farmer's market
18. Go to a "U Pick" fruit farm
19. Make apple butter
20. Make fresh ravioli
21. Throw a retro (as in "ham mousse") dinner party
22. Go on a brewery tour
23. Do a beer tasting
24. Go for upscale Greek on the Danforth
25. Eat dinner at Live
26. Get my cholestorol checked
27. Make a souffle
28. Try a new restaurant in Chinatown
29. Go for dim sum
30. Try Humboldt Fog goat cheese
31. Eat a traditional English breakfast (EBCB)
32. Make popcorn on the stove
33. Make mango and sticky rice
34. Eat a mushroom-based meal (I hate mushrooms!)
35. ~~Eat Alphaghetti or Zoodles with toast~~ Done!
36. Check out the Beach and try Cajun Corner
37. Cook something in my bamboo steamer

Chow-dah!

2007-09-29T11:38:00.000-04:00

As summer transitions to autumn, what could be more appropriate than a warm, comforting bowl of soup that features cheerful, sunny flavours? I found this recipe in my most-used cookbook, Rebar by Audrey Alsterberg and Wanda Urbanowicz -- I love the summery combination of fresh, juicy tomatoes with sweet corn and fragrant basil. A touch of cream brings a richness that's perfect for a blustery autumn day, and this chowder has a nice heat to it from the jalapenos (which I harvested from my very own container garden, thankyouverymuch), which also helps to keep summer alive just a little bit longer.

End-of-Summer Chowder

4 cups vegetable stock, warm
1 tbsp butter
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 tsp salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp cracked pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 cups diced baby potatoes
2 jalapeno peppers, sedded and minced
1 red pepper, diced
2 cups corn, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 ripe tomato, seeded and diced
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1. Heat butter in a stock pot and sautee onion with 1/2 tsp salt, until soft. Add garlic, cracked pepper, oregano, and half of the basil. Sautee for five minutes, then stir in the potatoes, jalapenos, red pepper, corn, and remaining salt. Sautee briefly, then add stock. Cover, and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
2. Stir in cream and return the chowder to a simmer. Add tomatoes, remaining basil, and cilantro. Heat through and serve immediately. Yum!

Serves 4

My New Favourite Lasagna

2007-09-23T15:05:00.000-04:00

When it comes to lasagna, I'm easy to please -- my love for this classic dish is nearly Garfield-esque. However, I've never really come upon a lasagna that truly blew my mind. I'm glad to say that streak has ended.

An issue of delicious. recently arrived in my mailbox with a particularly enticing photo on the cover of a butternut lasagna with sage butter. My interest piqued, I headed directly to the market to pick up supplies. This lasagna was surprisingly easy to throw together. As it baked, it filled my condo with the delicious aromas of roasted squash, nutmeg, and sage, and it came out of the oven golden brown and puffed up like a souffle.

Topped with a splash of rich and nutty browned sage butter, I fell in love with this lasagna at first bite. The creamy ricotta and smooth butternut puree make for an ethereal mouthfeel, and the warm Autumn-y flavours could not be more comforting. This is absolutely the best lasagna recipe I've ever tried, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Butternut, Sage, & Ricotta Lasagna

800g Butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2cm pieces (I buy the pre-cut squash from the grocery store)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried chile flakes
1 tbsp chopped sage, plus 12 whole leaves to serve
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
350g ricotta
1 egg
1 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
8 fresh lasagna sheets, cooked in boiling water until not quite al dente
100g unsalted butter
2 tbsp chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place butternut on a baking tray. Drizzle with oil, and season with chile flakes, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, until the butternut is tender. Allow to cool slightly.
Puree butternut in a food processor with the chopped sage and nutmeg. Set aside.
3. Clean/wipe out processor and then process the ricotta, egg, parmesan, and salt & pepper. Sometimes I add a pinch of allspice to the ricotta.
4. Lightly grease an 8x8 inch baking pan. Cover the base of the pan with lasagna sheets, and spread with 1/2 of the butternut mixture. Add another layer of lasagna sheets, and then spread with 1/2 of the ricotta. Repeat process, then sprinkle final layer of ricotta with extra parmesan.
5. Cover with foil, and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes or until golden and puffy. Stand for 5 minutes before serving.
6. Meanwhile, heat the butter, walnuts (optional), and whole sage leaves in a saucepan over medium heat until the butter begins to turn golden (stir constantly). Remove from heat, and serve lasagne topped with a little bit of the sage butter and some extra parmesan.

Barbeque Linguini

2007-08-29T21:06:00.000-04:00

With only a few weeks of Summer left, I've been feeling obligated to fire up the barbeque as often as possible. As such, I was happy to come across the following recipe in my copy of A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop. I find this cookbook to be great for simple, yet elegant dishes such as this Linguine with Grilled Fennel and Sun-Dried Tomatoes. A breeze to throw together, this pasta is dressed lightly with the subtly sweet anise flavour of fennel, smoky from the grill, and intensely tomato-ey sun-dried tomatoes. A splash of vinegar and a handful of high-quality cheese bring everything together in perfect harmony. Dave and I gobbled it up with some extra garlicky garlic bread, which definitely helped us better enjoy our last days of Summer.

Linguine with Grilled Fennel and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

1 large fennel bulb, stalks and fronds discarded, cut into 1/2 inch slices through the base
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
5 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced into thin strips
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, minced
1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (eyeball it)
1/2 lb linguine
freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

1. Light your grill, and set to medium-high. Brush fennel with 1 tbsp of the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place the fennel on the grill, and cook until tender with nice dark char marks, turning once.

2. Briefly cool the fennel, and cut into thin strips. Combine the fennel, tomatoes, basil, vinegar, and 1 tbsp of the oil in a large bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside for up to one hour.

3. Cook pasta until al dente in well-salted boiling water. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta. Toss the pasta with the fennel sauce, and moisten with the reserved cooking water as needed. Serve immediately, topped with a generous amount of parmigiano-reggiano.

Serves 2

The Taste of Tuna-Love is Sweet

2007-08-23T19:13:00.000-04:00

Thanks to a link from Elise's delicious-sounding Tarragon Tuna Melt post over at Simply Recipes, I have a bunch of new visitors today. Welcome!

Elise wasn't the only one who had some fun with tuna melts this week. We've been battling some chilly weather here in Toronto, so I was craving tropical flavours -- if I can't have summer outside, at least I can have it on my plate. Because sweet and spicy is pretty much the best combo ever, I decided to pimp my tuna with bold jalapeno and cheery fresh pineapple. To build on the "island" theme, I added some of my favourite curry powder and smoky, rich ancho. Savoury red onion and cilantro rounded everything out, while gooey spicy cheese finished each bite with an extra layer of heat. I took a picture, but it really didn't do these bad boys justice. Give them a try -- like Dave and I, I bet you'll fall for them like a child.

(BA BADA BADA BA DA BA)

Ring of Fire Tuna Melts

1 can tuna, drained
2 tbsp red onion, finely chopped
1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped
1/4 cup pineapple, diced
2 tbsp cilantro, finely sliced
1 tbsp good quality curry powder
1 tsp ancho powder
2 tbsp light mayonnaise
2 english muffins
4 slices spicy monterey jack cheese

1. Mix tuna, onion, jalapeno, pineapple, cilantro, curry powder, ancho powder, and mayonnaise in a bowl until well combined.
2. Open the english muffins and broil until lightly browned. Remove from broiler, and scoop 1/4 of the tuna mixture onto each muffin half. Finish with a slice of monterey jack.
3. Put the muffins back under the broiler until the cheese melts and starts to brown. Dig in!

Serves 2

Cowgirl Pasta Salad

2007-08-21T22:16:00.000-04:00

On our way back from Tobermory, Dave and I stopped at a corn farm to pick up some sweet cobs, fresh from the field. To use the last of it up, I had some fun inventing this pasta salad that combines a bunch of my favourite Tex-Mex flavours. It's hard to beat plain old roasted corn and asparagus, but the sweet-smoky charm of these veggies really shines when paired with a spicy, tangy guacamole dressing. Thrown together on a whim, I think this summery recipe is going to become part of my regular repertoire. Giddyup!

Cowgirl Pasta Salad
350g chunky pasta (I used "scoobi-doo")
1 cob of corn
1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends removed
1/2 red pepper, diced
2 tbsp fresh chives, minced
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp ancho chile powder (optional)
diced tomato for garnish
salt & pepper

Guacamole Dressing
1 ripe avocado
1 fresh jalapeno
juice from 1/2 lime
1/3 cup light mayo
1/4 cup light sour cream
1 clove garlic, diced
salt, to taste

1. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Rinse under cold water and put into a large mixing bowl with red pepper and chives.
2. Make the dressing by combining all ingredients in a blender and pureeing until smooth. Add salt to taste, and set aside.
2. Toss asparagus with olive oil, ancho powder (if you have it), and salt and pepper. Grill over medium high heat, until brown and roasty. Chop asparagus into 1-inch pieces and add to mixing bowl with pasta.
3. Roast your cob of corn whatever way you prefer (I usually rub it with a little butter, wrap in tinfoil, and roast over medium high heat until the kernels are lightly browned -- about 15 minutes) -- you can roast the corn and the asparagus at the same time. Use a knife to carefully chop the kernels off the cob, and add the roasted corn to the mixing bowl.
4. Add the dressing to the mixing bowl and toss your salad until well-combined. Season to taste. Serve garnished with diced tomato, a slice of lime, and fresh-ground pepper.

Serves 3

Bork, bork bork!

2007-08-16T22:17:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday, y'all!

A Weekend in Tobermory

2007-08-13T20:43:00.000-04:00

Dave and I decided to get away from the city last weekend to check out a new (to us) part of the country. We headed North up the Bruce Peninsula, and landed in Tobermory for two days of wildlife, relaxation, and beautiful sunsets. Here are some capsule reviews on the spots we ate while we were there:

Stone Orchid Eatery & Shoppe
Stone Orchid specializes in Indonesian cuisine, which is difficult (if not impossible) to find in Toronto. As such, we were eager to check this place out. The service was quick and friendly, but also distracted. Dave and I each ordered a small Rice Tafel (pictured above), which included 6 Indonesian dishes served on a large platter: garden salad with coconut dressing, nasi goreng (fried rice), bami goreng (fried noodles), gado gado (veggies in a peanut sauce), satay (chicken for dave, tofu for me), and curry (fish for dave, tempeh for me -- I was happy to find that Stone Orchid is very willing to accomodate vegetarians). Our food came out with a small caddy of unique condiments, which included flaked coconut and roasted peanuts, as well as sweet reduced soy sauce, and a spicysweet peach chutney. Everything tasted amazing, but the standouts were definitely the bami noreng, which was salty and savoury, and the satay, which came in a delicious rich peanut-based sauce. The one low point of the meal for me was the curry, which I found to be bland. We finished with a simple, yet fabulous Indonesian dessert: vanilla ice cream with fruit (mango or berries) and a splash of Cointreau. Dave and I were super happy with our meal at Stone Orchid, and the cherry on top was when I found a 1980 IKEA cookbook in the eclectic "shoppe" attached to the restaurant. Score!

The Fish and Chips Place
Located right on the harbour in Tobermory with almost exclusively outdoor seating, The Fish and Chips Place was continuously packed with Abercrombie & Fitch-sporting out-of-towners while we were there. It's therefore not surprising that the service is extremely rushed, and a little grumpy. Nevertheless, Dave and I happened to indulge in some wonderfully fresh-tasting battered local Whitefish on our visit, which beats any deep-fried fish that I've tried in the city. The chips are perfectly crisp-on-the-outide/fluffy-on-the-inside and, even though they clearly come from a bag in the freezer, taste great doused with the malt vinegar provided on each table. The Fish and Chips Place is definitely not a "pleasant" place to go for dinner, but it does serve up some good, casual comfort food if you can put up with throngs of tourists and their small children.

The Sweet Shop
Located on the harbour, a few doors down from the Fish and Chips Place, the Sweet Shop sells a variety of sweets (natch) and houses a large ice-cream counter. After purchasing some wasabi pea white chocolate to take home with us, Dave and I were craving some ice cream. The portions at The Sweet Shop are huge, so I picked out a kids-sized "Reese's Peanut Butter Cup" scoop. Dave ordered a frozen yogurt with Oreo. My ice cream was amazing: peanut butter ice cream, with chocolate sauce streaks and chunks of peanut butter cups. I savoured every bite. Dave was a little dissapointed to find that the Sweet Shop uses very tangy yogurt for its frogurt, which doesn't combine very well with sweet Oreo bits. Strawberry or another fruit would have probably worked better.

Setting Sail B&B
While we visited Tobermory and the surrounding area, we stayed at Setting Sail B&B with our very gracious and accomodating host Louise and her adorable dog Glory. Each morning, Louise would fill our bellies with fruit and yogurt parfaits, followed by multigrain toast with preserves, perfectly-cooked eggs with fresh herbs, crisp sauteed baby potatoes, and ham or sausage (or soy "meat" for me). We would leave the house stuffed, with loads of energy. In the evening, we would wander down from the B&B to the rock shoreline to enjoy the wildflowers that grow there and watch the breathtaking sunsets (left). Dave and I enjoyed our time at Setting Sail immensely, and I highly recommend it if you need a place to stay on the Peninsula.

Afternoon Tea at the White Heather

2007-08-07T18:32:00.001-04:00

In Victoria, tea is serious business. Tea rooms can be found on every second street corner, and the most famous (read: biggest tourist trap) of them all -- the Empress -- rakes in $50 a head. Clearly, I had to participate in this Victoria tradition when I visited my pal Leah in Garden City this past weekend.

Not willing to pay Empress prices, Leah and I did some research (teasearch?) before settling on the White Heather Tea Room (1885 Oak Bay Ave). We needed to make reservations to snag a Friday afternoon spot, which we took as a good sign. The unassuming White Heather is located in a mini-mall of sorts, and isn't much to look at when you first enter. It's sparsely decorated, and resembles a quaint retirement home cafeteria more than the opulent British dining room we were expecting.

Our friendly waitress seated us immediately and brought some ice water while we looked at the menu. White Heather offers three afternoon teas: the "Wee Tea," the "Not So Wee Tea," and the "Big Muckle" tea for two. Each has a variety of different goodies, and all are very reasonably priced. Leah and I each selected the Not So Wee tea service, with Mad Hatter tea to drink (the most popular tea on the menu). Our tea was quickly brought out in a big pot for sharing and our food arrived soon after, piled high on a three-tiered tea stand.

White Heather was very accomodating in my request for an all-vegetarian selection, which included egg salad and cucumber cream-cheese tea sandwiches, a cheese scone with veggie filling, a piece of coconut-lemon pound cake, hazlenut shortbread, a mini sundried tomato quiche, a lemon tart, and an apricot-ginger scone. Leah's spread was similar, except with a ham tea sandwich and a cheese scone with chicken salad filling. In general, the food was amazing. The tea sandwiches were a little standard, but this was more than made up for by the mini cheese scone filled with smoky, roasted eggplant, cream cheese, and a tangy artichoke heart. The quiche was two bites of warm, flaky, creamy heaven, and the scone was light, fluffy, and decadent with devon cream, lemon curd, and raspberry preserves. The lemon tart was clearly home-made, with not-too-sweet lemon filling and real whipped cream topping. The huge slice of moist, lemony pound cake and sweet, nutty shortbread were delicious as well. I couldn't even come close to finishing all of my treats, although I certainly tried.

Even more fabulous than the food was the Mad Hatter tea. It's a sweet mix of black tea with bold strawberry and vanilla flavours -- perfection with just a touch of sugar. The tea went great with the food, and it was so good that I bought a bag of it to take back to Toronto with me.

The White Heather Tea Room is a near perfect afternoon tea experience, and a great value at less than $20 per person. If you ever find yourself on the Island and craving tea, give the Empress a pass and head on over to Oak Bay -- your wallet and your tastebuds will thank you.

9 high noon teas out of 10

Salmonburger, salmonburger, chips. No Coke, Pepsi!

2007-07-24T19:20:00.001-04:00

This month's delicious. was particularly, er, delicious. Isn't that always the way? Just as your magazine subscription is about to expire, a stellar issue shows up in your mailbox like a vile temptress, begging you to resubscribe. Just when I thought I was out...

Anyway, as I flipped through this issue nearly every recipe made me stop and think: "I am so going to make that!" I've already managed to throw together two of said recipes: the above-pictured salmon burger and a deeply moving butternut lasagna, about which I will post in the near future. But not today. Today I am all about the fish.

Despite what a lot of recipes on the Internet would have you believe, perfect salmon burgers should be simply made from fresh salmon and minimal seasoning -- just say no to dry, flavourless breadcrumb filler! Topped with some classic guacamole, each mouthful showcases the clean flavour of the fish alongside buttery avocado. A subtle glow of jalapeno warmth finishes each bite off nicely. Perfectly sided with fresh corn-on-the-cob, these burgers are an ideal summer treat and I can't wait to make them again. An interesting variation on the recipe might be to replace the dill and mustard in the patties with a good dose of quality curry powder -- the flavour combination of earthy, complex curry with creamy, tangy guacamole is out of this world, and I think it would match nicely with the meaty salmon.

Salmon Burgers with Guacamole

300g fresh salmon, skinless, chopped into large pieces
1/2 shallot, finely chopped
2 tsp finely chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 small egg white
2 tsp olive oil
1 english muffin, split in half

Guacamole
1 ripe avocado, diced into small cubes
1 tbsp lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1. Place salmon, shallot, dill, mustard, egg white, salt, and freshly ground black pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse very briefly, until the fish is roughly chopped and the ingredients are mixed, but not pureed. Divide the mixture into 2, and form into large patties. Place on a tray or plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
2. Mix all guacamole ingredients together in a bowl, and then salt to taste. Cover and set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is quite hot, sear the burgers for 2 minutes or so on each side (turning carefully). Remove from heat when they are cooked to your liking.
4. Lightly toast the english muffin halves. Top each with a salmon patty and half of the guacamole. Dig in!

Serves 2

Cool Hand of a Girl 2: Brunch Boogaloo

2007-07-11T21:43:00.001-04:00

I've blogged about my awesome neighborhood cafe Cool Hand of a Girl before, but this place is worth a second look now that they've started serving weekend brunch. Each Saturday and Sunday, the ladies at CHoaG offer three amazing-sounding brunch specials on their blackboard menu: one scramble, one omelette, and one french toast. Last Saturday, these specials were a feta, kalamata olive, and leek scramble, a roasted cremini mushroom omelette, and a vanilla custard-stuffed french toast with maple syrup and raspberries. My two pals and I ordered all three.

Good, homemade food takes time, so we sipped some delicious house iced tea while we waited. Our dishes arrived beautifully plated with some fresh fruit, almost too pretty to eat. I had ordered the scramble, so I dug in to find that the flavour of the soft, perfectly-cooked, and rich-tasting eggs was elevated by a salty kick from the feta and olives. The sauteed leeks added a welcome touch of freshness to the combination. My eggs were sided with some nicely-spiced potatoes and buttered multigrain toast. It was absolutely the best brunch I have had in a long time.

My friends equally enjoyed their dishes, particularly the one who had ordered french toast. The multigrain bread had been stuffed with a layer of rich vanilla, and then coated in egg custard and grilled until crisp on the outside but still moist on the inside. Topped with real maple syrup and raspberries, this decadent treat was truly mindblowing. After one taste, my friend had to hold me back from inhaling his whole plate. I'm still craving it, 5 days later.

I'm thrilled to be able to say that Cool Hand of a Girl is still as fantastic as it was when it first opened over one year ago. In fact, with its recently-added brunch offering, this cafe keeps getting better and better. Though it may not be on the beaten track, it is definitely worth going out of your way for.

Cupcake Heaven

2007-07-05T22:55:00.000-04:00

To celebrate Dave's birthday this month, I thought it would be nice to bake him some cupcakes. He was craving carrot cupcakes and, after a long Intarweb search, I came across an old Cook's Illustrated carrot cake recipe that looked just about perfect -- I made a few minor adjustments to reduce the amount of oil and then I ran with it. Topped with maple cream cheese icing and Skor toffee bits, these treats were moist and carroty with a nice spicey undertone. The icing was a little runny, but I didn't hear any complaints from our pals as they licked it from their fingers and went back for seconds. In Dave's words: "Oh, man."

Carrot Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

2.5 cups unbleached all-purpose four
1.25 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg (fresh ground/grated is best)
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb. medium carrots, peeled and grated
1.5 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
3/4 cups vegetable oil
3/4 cups unsweetened applesauce

Icing

1 pkg (250g) cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2.5 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 pkg Chipits Skor tidbits, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with cupcake papers.
2. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a food processor, process granulated and brown sugars with the eggs until frothy, about 20 seconds. Add applesauce and mix for an additional 5 seconds. With the machine running, add oil through the feedtube in a steady stream, and process until mixture is light in colour and well-emulsified. Scrape mixture into a large bowl, and stir in the carrots. Add the dry ingredients, and combine until no streaks of flour remain (do not overmix).
4. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full, and bake for about 20 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean). Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
5. Make icing: using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat at low speed until blended. Beat in maple syrup and chill until icing firms slightly. If icing is still too runny, add more powdered sugar as necessary.
6. Frost the cupcakes and top with Skor bits. Finally, scarf.

makes about 16 cupcakes

Review: Ristorante Otto (Montreal)

2007-06-29T10:47:00.000-04:00

In Montreal for business earlier this week, I stayed at the ridiculously trendy and ultra-modern W Hotel. It's honestly like living in the Korova Milkbar from A Clockwork Orange. After a particularly long day of work, my colleagues and I decided to check out the hotel restaurant, Otto. The decor in Otto is just as sleek as in the hotel -- it's sort of a mod, nightclubby take on old-school Italian, with lots of reds, whites, and deep browns. We were led to a giant semi- circular booth with lots of plush red pillows. It was very cozy, and gave us a nice view of the rest of the dining room (which happened to be mostly empty on this Tuesday night).

The menu at Otto is essentially Italian-Asian fusion, with tempura and peanut-sauced shrimp alongside risotto and rack of lamb. Our friendly (and very young/attractive -- the norm at W) waitress pointed out the "favourites" on the menu and brought some wine while we decided what to order. I finally settled on the grilled hamachi with cherry tomato and lobster couscous, while my colleagues ordered the rack of lamb and mushroom risotto. We also ordered the tuna tartare to start, which had been highly recommended by the waitress.

The tuna tartare arrived in no time, and was presented beautifully, surrounded with a "border" of avocado slices and cilantro tabouleh. We each took a bite and agreed that it was delicious. The buttery tuna tasted amazing with the creamy avocado and subtle spice from the tabouleh. This was probably the favourite dish of the evening.

After another glass of wine and a long-ish wait, our mains arrived. My plate was extremely hot, which I took to mean that it had been sitting under the heat lamp for some time. I started with a taste of the couscous, which was mixed with huge chunks of lobster meat -- to my disappointment, the lobster was very tough and chewy (almost inedible, really) and my couscous was more clumpy than it was fluffy. However, the grains were infused with a nice savoury tomato flavour. Rather than hearts of palm, as the menu had promised, my dish was sided with some nice and crunchy, barely-cooked green veggies (mostly peas and asparagus, with some tough (undercooked) lima or fava beans thrown in). The hamachi itself was grilled with strange results: it was completely done in some parts and raw in others. Since it didn't appear to have been seared, I couldn't tell if this was done on purpose. Regardless, the fish had a nice rich flavour that went well with the garden-fresh vegetables. Overall, I was pretty underwhelmed with my meal. My colleagues didn't rave about their main dishes either.

In general, I found Otto to be a pretty average dining experience. The service is great, but the food is not worth the price, in my opinion -- it feels a lot like style over substance. I'm sure there are better options in Montreal, unless you're really in the mood for some milk-plus and a little bit of the old ultraviolence.

5 gardiens out of 10

I Made a Strawberry!

2007-06-21T20:13:00.000-04:00

Yummy Pizza Topping Alert!

2007-06-17T19:09:00.000-04:00

It's KALE! I was happy to be able to combine two of my current obsessions the other day (homemade pizza and my container garden) when I added some freshly-harvested kale to a homemade veggie sausage (Tofurky Italian Sausage) and onion pizza. It was amazing! All I did was saute the kale briefly with some garlic in a little olive oil before adding it to the pizza, and the greens added a delicious depth of flavour to the otherwise standard sausage pie. I think I might experiment with a swiss chard pizza next. Yum!

Review: Back to the Garden Cafe

2007-06-14T10:11:00.000-04:00

Tucked away in the shadow of a condo building a few blocks North of Bloor on Dundas, the unassuming Back to the Garden Cafe (2535 Dundas St. W) is easy to overlook. In fact, it took Dave and I about two years of living in the neighborhood before we developed enough interest in it to try some takeout. I was pleasantly surprised with our order so, when a vegetarian friend was in town for a visit this past week, Back to the Garden's large patio quickly came to mind.

The interior of the restaurant is dark and cozy, with lots of wood paneling and a welcoming fireplace. It looks like a great place to warm up in the winter but, on this particular sunny day, we were all about the patio. Stepping onto the large deck, we noticed that the patio furniture was sun-worn, and in pretty rough shape. The traffic noise coming from Dundas a few feet away was also not ideal, but no matter -- we were there for the food.

As luck would have it, buckets of 4 Coronas were on special for about $12 on this particular Wednesday night. We ordered some to sip while we perused the menu. The specials board inside Back to the Garden offers up a variety of stick-to-your-ribs comfort food, like lasagna and roasted turkey. To us, however, this seemed like a burger n' fries kind of evening.

The burger list is extensive, with a lot of really creative toppings. I had a hard time choosing between two or three different options, and finally settled on "Fun in Acapulco" -- a burger with nacho chips, nacho cheese, jalapenos, and chipotle sauce. I asked for a veggie patty instead of chicken, and our friendly waitress was happy to oblige. Dave ordered "New York New York," a beef burger topped with sauteed mushrooms and swiss cheese, and our out-of-town friend Heath went with "Los Angeles" -- a veggie burger adorned with camembert and chipotle sauce. I was tempted by the flavoured fries, which are crispy fresh-cut fries coated in a sauce of your choice. Dave and I had ordered these for takeout and they were fantastic. On this occasion, however, I opted for no side (after all, I already was going to have nachos on my burger). Dave got a side salad and Heath chose regular, plain fries.

As we waited for our food, our waitress proactively brought out some water for us, without us needing to order it -- I love that. When our burgers arrived, I was thrilled to see that mine actually had nachos on top -- chips, with 7-11-esque liquid nacho cheese, and pickled jalapeno slices, as well as a slice of fresh tomato, pickles, and chopped lettuce. I drizzled the accompanying chipotle sauce on top and dug in -- my burger made a very satisfying crunch with each bite. The smoky heat of the creamy chipotle sauce went well with the nacho cheese and crispy tortilla chips. The jalapeno slices added another layer of spice, and everything was mellowed out by the delicious grain-based veggie patty. What a great burger. Dave equally enjoyed his order, and commented that the salad was tasty, if a little standard. Heath was also a big fan of his burger, but found that the camembert wasn't quite assertive enough to shine through the flavourful chipotle sauce. Dave and I stole a few of Heath's fries because they were so tasty.

Completely stuffed, we took care of our extremely reasonable bill (thanks, Heath!) and started home just as the sun was setting. I regret not trying the creative, delicious food at Back to the Garden earlier, but now that it's on my radar it will be one of my top choices when I'm craving a burger.

7 cow patties out of 10

Because you don't make friends with salad

2007-06-07T10:18:00.000-04:00

Since I stopped eating the real stuff about 10 years ago, I've tried almost every iteration of fake meat that's come across my path. As I've tasted my way from "bologna" to Tofurky, I've found that different brands simulate the texture and flavour of meat to varying degrees of success. One of my most disturbing experiences involved dense, chewy, flavourless gluten "drumsticks" -- Dave and I ate one bite each and then threw the rest in the trash. And then we threw some lighter fluid and a match in after them as a public service to our local garbage-scavenging alley cats.

I've also had some great experiences with fake meat brands, which I'd like to share here. Hoefully these recommendations will help you from avoid any gluten drumstick landmines at your grocery store.

Deli Meat
When it comes to deli meat, Yves has the largest variety -- their bologna is pretty good, and the pepperoni slices are great for veggie pizza. However, I much prefer Tofurky slices when I'm making a sandwich. The texture is very close to actual meat, and the flavour is about as close as you can get to turkey without going for the real thing. I also find these make a great substitute for corned beef in a Rueben

Hot Dogs
I've had some awful vegetarian hot dogs (avoid the Zoglos tofu wieners, for your own sake), but I've also had some great ones. My favourites are Schneider's "Oh Naturel!" wieners and Yves Good Dogs or Jumbo Veggie Dogs. All of these are about a million times healthier than real hot dogs, and taste just as good with mustard. I've just learned that Yves now makes corn dogs, and Tofurky makes foot longs. If you know where to find either of these in the GTA, please leave a comment!

Burgers
Far and away, the best grocery-store veggie burger is Lick's Nature Burgers. Period.

Chicken Burgers
The best fake chicken burgers I've tried are made by Zoglos. They have breaded and unbreaded versions, both of which are super quick and easy to crisp up in a toaster. I wouldn't recommend these for the BBQ, however, because they tend to dry out.

Meatballs
Tasty vegetarian spaghetti and meatballs is easy to make using President's Choice "World's Best Meatless Meatballs." They're moist and tasty, and also work as a great substitute in a dish of Swedish Meatballs. My second-favourite veggie meatballs are made by Schneider's "Oh Naturel!" brand.

Ground Meat
Yves Ground Round is definitely the best option in this category. You can substitute it in any recipe that calls for ground meat, with great results. I love tacos, and this stuff helps me get my fix without using beef.

Breakfast Sausage
I recently discovered Veggie Patch's line of sausages, and I've been very impressed with their spiced apple version. You can smell the fragrant apple as the sausages fry up, and the end result is very tasty. I can't wait to try the jalapeno cheddar version. If you can't find Veggie Patch products, Yves also makes a passable breakfast sausage.

Regular sausage
I'f you're looking to grill some vegetarian sausages, I've found that the best ones are made by Tofurky. The Italian Sausages get nice and crisp on the outside, and stay moist on the inside -- great on a bun or chopped up into pasta or on a pizza. So far, I've only been able to find the Italian Sausage version, but I'd love to try their brats and kielbasa. If you've seen either of these around the GTA, again, please leave a comment!

Bacon
So far, I've not been able to find any veggie bacon that really replicates the meaty original. The closest I've come is with Yves, who makes Canadian and regular versions. They're not perfect, but they'll make a decent BLT or bacon cheeseburger.

Miscellaneous
For unique and delicious frozen meatless products, check out the store in the back of King's Cafe in Kensington market. They carry amazing fake ham (which reminds me of the slices on Egg McMuffins), and deliciously spiced "chicken" chunks. I haven't been disappointed by anything that I've picked up there, and I make sure to stop in whenever I'm in the area. You should too!

Alana's First Garden

2007-05-30T18:28:00.001-04:00

While my mom was in town this weekend, she was nice enough to plant me a patio container garden! I now have three large planters growing yummy goodies such as strawberries, jalapenos, cherry peppers, corn, carrots, swiss chard, kale, spinach, fennel, tomatillos, and a wide variety of herbs. I can't wait to harvest and cook from my own garden! Here's a picture of the just-planted veggies:

I love how the light goes through the bright red swiss chard stalks. Here are my herbs:

That's purple basil in the middle -- I'm pumped to make some purple pesto! I'll be blogging more about my garden this summer as things sprout, flower, and/or ripen. Stay tuned!

Review: Purple Onion Steakhouse

2007-05-18T16:03:00.001-04:00

To a lot of Edmontonians, the name "Purple Onion" brings to mind mullets, dollar drinks (power hour), terrible music, and wicked hangovers. Maybe it was these associations that prevented me from visiting the Purple Onion Steakhouse at its previous location at Keele and St. Clair. However, when I peeked inside its brand new digs in my neighborhood a few weeks ago and saw a distinct lack of leather pants and plastic tumblers, I decided to give it a try.

Dave and I headed down to the Purple Onion (2998 Dundas Street W) for a Saturday brunch soon after the new location's grand opening. The place was packed -- it seemed as if the entire Junction wanted to check out the newest addition to the neighborhood. While the Onion serves up diner fare, its decor is decidedly not dinery. It's actually rather modern-looking, with framed art on the walls instead of retro signs, and an ornate light fixture. It was not at all what I expected -- I found it quite cold and in sharp contrast to the comfort food on the menu.

Speaking of the menu, it includes a number of breakfast/brunch options, several steaks and different types of sandwiches, as well as a few other entrees (including one fish dish). Everything is very reasonably priced. Since Dave and I were there for brunch, I settled on an omelette with feta, tomato, and onion. Dave ordered eggs and chopped steak. We settled in for what turned out to be a lengthy wait.

Luckily, it wasn't nearly as lengthy as that of the couple at the next table. They had already been seated when we arrived, and we ended up receiving our food before them. Eventually, they simply walked out. Another table nearby also got into an argument with their waitress, who would not let them switch to another free table. They also walked out. Granted, this was the first weekend that the new location had been open -- hopefully they have worked out some of the kinks by now. Regardless, my single greatest complaint about the Purple Onion would definitely be the service.

We dug in as soon as our food arrived, and I was thrilled to find that the tomatoes and onions in my omelette had been grilled -- this added a fantastic charred flavour to my eggs, and also made the tomatoes extra-juicy. The potatoes on the side were savoury and nicely crunchy on the edges, if a little greasy. My meal also came with some pretty standard toast. I was very impressed with my brunch, and despite its tastiness I couldn't finish the huge portion. Dave was similarly impressed with his steak and eggs, although he also found them a little greasy.

All-in-all, I'm ecstatic that the Junction now has a diner for hangover-curing weekend breakfasts, despite its less-than-welcoming atmosphere. We'll have to go back to try the dinner menu, but in the meantime I hope the service drastically improves. After all, I already have a Purple Onion to go to if I want to experience surly waitresses -- and the drinks there only cost a dollar.

6 sheriff stars out of 10

Pizza Porn

2007-04-30T20:42:00.000-04:00

Before entering the oven:

After the heat:
I'm happy to say that this pizza tasted as good as it looks. Probably even better. A couple of days ago, I was in the mood to try out a new topping combo, so my friend Leah and I whipped up (read: put elbow grease into the labour-intensive process of making) the "Americana" pizza dough from Peter Reinhart's American Pie. If you are at all interested in making amazing pizza at home, invest in this book, a pizza stone, and a pizza peel. You won't regret it.

After the dough had sat for the requisite 24-hours in the fridge, I stretched it into something resembling a circle and layered on fresh pesto, pre-grilled zucchini and asparagus, and goat cheese. After 8 minutes in a 500 degree oven, I was in pizza heaven. Letting the dough rise in the fridge (per Reinhart's instructions) yields a crisp crust with complex flavours -- no floury, gummy, tasteless mouthfuls here. Further, the garlicky fresh flavour of the pesto melded perfectly with the charred, slightly nutty asparagus and zucchini. Not to mention the tangy, melty, goat cheese on top ... I love it when a simple combination of ingredients produces such a stellar meal. I think I have a new favourite pizza!

Itadakimasu!

2007-04-20T20:54:00.000-04:00

If "Countries where people eat curry" were a Family Feud question, I'm guessing the top responses would be ("Survey said!") India, Britain, and maybe Thailand. Not many would guess that curry is one of the most popular dishes in Japan, where most people eat it at least once per week.

Introduced by the Brits in the late 19th century, curry in Japan is typically made with meat, potatoes, carrots, and onions, and served with sticky short-grain rice (the dish is called "curry rice"). It's also thicker, sweeter, and milder than its Indian counterpart. Best of all, it's ridiculously easy to make using prepared Japanese curry "roux," which can be found in any Asian supermarket -- S&B Golden Curry is the most popular brand in North America.

In need of a quick and easy, but also warming and delicious dinner last week, I picked up some "Hot" Golden Curry mix (the "hot" is really not that hot, but you can also get mild or medium), veggies, and fried tofu puffs at my local Asian grocery and got to work. The secret to a great Japanese curry, I find, is lots of onion, slowly cooked until golden, and a couple cloves of garlic. This really deepens the flavour of the sauce. I've also heard that adding a grated apple works well, but I haven't yet tried that tack. This recipe is a great one to experiment with because it's really hard to go wrong -- throw in your favourite ingredients and come up with your own perfect curry rice! Here's mine:

Tofu Curry Rice

2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into bite-sized cubes
1 large yellow cooking onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices on the diagonal
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4 inch slices on the diagonal
2 cups fried tofu puffs
3 squares S&B "Hot" Golden Curry roux
2 and 1/4 cup water

1. Heat olive oil in a deep frying pan or pot. Add onion and salt and saute over medium-low heat until translucent and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots, and celery, and saute for an additional 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
2. Add water, roux, and tofu to the pan. Bring to a simmer and stir until roux dissolves. Cover and let stew simmer over low heat until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Add a little more water if your sauce is too thick. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
3. Serve curry next to sticky short-grain rice. Grab a spoon and dig in!

serves 3-4

Waiting for the Sun

2007-04-17T18:52:00.000-04:00

So, it's mid-April and still FREEZING, dreary, and all-around blah in Toronto. Wiarton Willie is a damn liar. I demand sunshine!

Until I can stop wearing my mittens to drive to work, I'm still hooked on hot, winter-y dishes to keep myself unfrozen. Last night, I made a white bean and kale soup that really hit the spot -- kale is one of my favourite greens because it has such an interesting texture, and it tastes great with tomatoes and creamy canellini beans. With a kick of rosemary and red chiles, and feta on top, this soup was the perfect thing to pick me up from yet another wet, cloudy, cold day in Ontario. As an added bonus, Dave, who generally despises beans, had two servings! So you bean-haters out there should give this one a try.

Word on the street (read: Weather Network) is that things are supposed to warm up this weekend. I won't keep my fingers crossed. In the meantime, comfort food is where it's at.

White Bean and Kale Soup

19 oz can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups veggie stock
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
28 oz can diced tomatoes, with juice
generous pinch red chile flakes
1/4 tsp each dry oregano and basil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 small bunch kale, rinced and sliced
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
lots of fresh black pepper
crumbled feta, for garnish

1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion, and cook until golden. Add the garlic, red chile, basil, oregano, salt, and rosemary, and cook for another couple minutes (until fragrant). Add the beans, stock, and tomatoes, and simmer over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Stir in the kale, vinegar, parsley, and ground pepper to taste. Cook until the kale is wilted, then ladle the soup into bowls and top with feta and some additional fresh parsley. Serve with lots of garlic bread and extra pepper.

serves 3-4

Recipe for Disaster: Anchovy Steak

2007-04-13T17:53:00.000-04:00

Is a giant steak not good enough for you? Why not sweeten the deal with a crapload of anchovies and green olives with pimentos? And serve it with cold, soggy, congealed KFC fries? And maimed tomatoes? Isn't that better?

This disagreeable platter was barfed up by the 1972 Family Circle MEAT Cookbook, which also includes sections on "Meal-Time Easy Franks" and "Ever-Popular Ground Beef." Sadly, there are no sections on "Problematic Poultry" or "Disliked Luncheon Meats."

The Family Circle gang calls this a "colorful" meal, but I'm leaning more in the direction of "disturbing" and "stop staring at me, steak." But what the hell, right? At least you can get a good game of tic-tac-toe in before your stomach starts screaming so loudly that you have to take it out back and put it out of its misery.

Anchovy Steak
1 blade-bone chuck beefsteak (2.5 lbs)
instant meat tenderizer
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
vegetable oil
1 can anchovy fillets, drained
sliced pimento-stuffed olives

1. Trim excess fat from steak. Moisten meat and sprinkle with meat tenderizer. Place on rack in a broiler pan.
2. Sprinkle top of steak with 1 tbsp flour, and brush with oil. Broil 3-4 inches from the heat 3-4 minutes for rare, 5-6 minutes for medium. Turn and sprinkle remaining flour over top. Brush with oil.
3. Continue broiling 2-3 minutes for rare, or 3-4 minutes for medium. Remove from broiler and arrange anchovies and olives on top of the steak as pictured. Brush all with oil and broil for an additional 2-3 minutes or until steak is done as you like it. Place on a platter and serve with fries and "tomato roses" (a.k.a. tomatoes cut into 8 wedges to within 1/4 inch of the bottom, with the skin peeled back from the points at the top).

Serves 4, sadly

Tuna Noodle!

2007-04-02T17:44:00.000-04:00

Tolkien once said that "cellar door" is a beautiful phrase. I'm no linguistics expert, but "cellar door" feels drab to me. Like a grey sky. I much prefer the less famous, but more fun phrase "tuna noodle." I mean, say it out loud: Tuna! Noodle! TunaNoodle! TUNANOODLE! Now that has got to be the best phrase in the English language.

Tuna Noodle Casserole has been a fixture on North American dinner tables since the 50's. It's inexpensive, easy to make, and pure comfort food -- no wonder it's a classic. I like mine extra-creamy, and I mix in some corn to provide a touch of sweetness along with a dash of hot sauce to give it some bite. The result is loyal to the classic retro recipe, but with a little something extra: it's the sassy Jessica to old school tuna casserole's plain Elizabeth Wakefield. Give it a try, and you'll find that "tuna noodle" is as fun to eat as it is to say.

Sweet Valley Tuna Noodle Casserole

2 cups dry macaroni
1 can tuna, drained
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup frozen corn
1/3 cup green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon Italian parsley, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup milk
1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mayo (low fat ok)
a few squirts hot sauce (I like Frank's)
salt & pepper

1. Cook macaroni to al dente in salted water and drain. Combine in a large bowl with tuna, celery, corn, green onion, parsley, and garlic.
2. In a small saucepan, whisk together soup, hot sauce, and milk over medium heat. When it begins to bubble, stir in 1 cup of the cheese and cook until the cheese melts completely. Remove from heat and stir in the mayo. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
3. Combine sauce and macaroni mixture, and pour into a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Finish under the broiler to brown the cheese, and serve immediately with fresh ground pepper on top!

Serves 4 generously

The Best Easter Candies EVER

2007-04-01T16:19:00.000-04:00

Every Easter, I track down some Cadbury Mini Eggs because I love their sweet, creamy chocolate centres and their slightly gritty, matte, sugary shells. Mostly, I think it's their funny little egg shapes that make them so much better than plain old Cadbury chololate. My favourite way to eat them is to suck on them so the thin shell dissolves and gives way to melty choco-goodness: I never bite.

This year, Cadbury made these little guys even better, and blew my mind a little, by throwing pop rocks into the mix! As these new "Popping Mini Eggs" dissolve on your tongue, the pop rocks fizz and crackle against the roof of your mouth. They are so. Much. Fun. Sizzly chocolate! You can watch a cute ad for these weirdo egg-bombs here.

I think my new favourite seasonal treat is only available until Easter (next weekend), so track them down, if you can. You won't be disappointed.

Itsy-Bitsy, Teeny-Weeny, Yellow Polka-Dot Panini

2007-03-22T19:24:00.000-04:00

Hot damn, I love grilled sandwiches! Stringy, gooey cheese and warm, toasty bread -- how can you go wrong? The Italians perfected this treat with the panini, a pressed grilled sandwich usually stuffed with bold, flavourful fillings. Wanting to learn more about this delicious cheese delivery system, I recently picked up Simple Italian Sandwiches by Jennifer Denton, Jason Denton, and Kathryn Kellinger. I'm glad I did -- This cookbook is a lot of fun to read, with a focus on panini, bruschetta, and tramezzini recipes, with a few frittatas and salads thrown in for good measure.

I don't have a panini press, but I have found that my Foreman Grill works just as well. The great thing about paninis is that you don't need to use any oil or butter on the bread -- the heat of the grill toasts it up nicely without any additional fat. So, even though you're gorging on cheese, you can feel pretty good about it.

One recipe from Simple Italian Sandwiches especially appealed to me: an artichoke, fennel, and fontina panini. The tangy marinated artichoke hearts marry beautifully with the subtle anise flavour of the fennel, and the rich fontina cheese mellows everything out. Try this sophisticated grilled-cheese with a balsamic-dressed green salad for a simple, amazing dinner.

Artichoke, Fennel, and Fontina Panini

1 bulb fennel, sliced (tops removed)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 ciabatta rolls
1 cup sliced marinated artichoke hearts
4 ounces Italian Fontina, sliced
salt & pepper

1. Braise the fennel: preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the sliced fennel in a baking dish with the olive oil, and bake for 1 hour, stirring once after 30 minutes. The fennel should be soft and translucent when finished. Cool to room temperature before using.
2. Preheat your panini or Foreman grill. Slice the domed tops off of the ciabata rolls so that the roll is about 1 inch thick. Then, split the rolls horizontally.
3. Spread artichoke hearts over the bottom halves of the ciabatta, and top with 3 tablespoons of the fennel each. Cover the fennel with an even layer of fontina and season with salt and pepper. Place the top halves of the ciabatta rolls over the cheese.
4. Grill the sandwiches for 4 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Let sandwiches sit for one minute before slicing and serving.

serves 2

They Don't Attract Mosquitos

2007-03-18T13:04:00.000-04:00

Doritos are, far and away, my favourite snack food. They're crunchy, packed with salty flavour, and triangular! How can you go wrong?

Frito-Lay tailors its Dorito flavours to its different geographic markets. For example, in Canada, we've been lucky to get quite a few tasty Dorito flavours lately: Guacamole, Dill-icious, Sweet Chili Heat, and Tandoori Sizzler. Because of this geographic variation, I love to track down the local versions whenever I travel. Doritos are my favourite souvenirs!

Recently, Dave was in Baltimore and picked up two new ones for me: Fiery Habanero and Blazin' Buffalo & Ranch. The Fiery Habanero ones were definitely fiery -- I could only eat a few Doritos at a time before putting the bag down to guzzle some water. They tasted pretty much like Spicy Nacho (a flavour available here in Canada), except with the heat boosted several notches. Spicier Spicy Nacho? I don't think I would go out of my way to get these again (they're a little painful to eat), but they were fun to try.

The Blazin' Buffalo & Ranch were more favourful than the Habanero -- they tasted like a cross between Cool Ranch and Spicy Nacho. I liked these ones quite a bit, but I don't think they're my favourite Doritos evar. That crown goes to the classic Nacho Cheese.

Vancouver in my Mouth

2007-03-10T14:17:00.000-05:00

More business travel a couple of weeks ago meant more delicious food in another one of my favourite Canadian cities, Vancouver. I had the chance to check out a lot of great spots, summarized thusly:

1. Nat's New York Pizza (1080 Denman Street) - On my first night in Vancouver, I decided to order some pizza to my hotel room. I had heard some good things about Nat's, so I called them up and ordered a "5th Avenue" (spinach, tomato, onion, and feta). A friendly delivery guy showed up about 1/2 hour later, and I dug into my piping hot pie. I hate to say it, but I was disappointed -- while the toppings were very fresh and flavourful, with a simple, slightly sweet tomato sauce, the crust was doughy and flavourless. It desperately needed a pinch of salt, or maybe some fragrant olive oil. This definitely wasn't the worst pizza I'd ever had, but it was far from the best. Meh.

2. Guu Izakaya (838 Thurlow Street) - Izakayas are kind of like Japanese tapas bars, specializing in cooked "small plates" and serving very little, if any, sushi. They're pretty prevalent in Vancouver, but I don't think we have any in TO. I stopped at Guu on Thurlow for lunch on my first day in Van, and found myself in dim, woody, comfortable surroundings. The staff shouted a Japanese greeting at me, and I took a spot at the long bar that nearly spans the entire length of the restaurant, behind which the busy chefs assembled dishes. Fron the short lunch menu, which included mostly bento-style meals, I chose the fried prawns with tartar sauce, which was served with miso and sticky rice. My food came quickly, and was arranged in a cute mini-bento-box. I started with the miso, which I found to be pretty standard, but not too salty. The rice was perfectly sticky, and came with some interesting Japanese pickles on the side -- these looked like slices of tiny cucumbers, and tasted like a combination of pickled ginger and wasabi. Very refreshing. The prawns were battered in a light panko crust, and came with a pink (!) tartar sauce. I'm not sure what caused the colour, but the sauce was creamy, tangy, and delightful. I would love to try Guu for dinner, when the menu becomes more extensive, but my lunch experience was great. Recommended!

3. Rangoli (1488 West 11th Ave) - Rangoli is the sister lunch spot to Vancouver's famous and innovative Indian restaurant Vij's, and this tiny diner is located right next door to its big brother. Seating is limited and I found myself in extremely close proximity to my fellow diners. The lunch menu at rangoli is small, but there's lots of exotic flavours to choose from. I settled on an eggplant, pea, and paneer dish in pomegranate-cinnamon masala after a fellow at the table next to me mentioned that my fist choice, the Tilapia curry, is not as tasty. I also ordered a chai to accompany my meal, which was brought out promptly by the friendly waitress and tasted perfect -- creamy, spicy, warm, and comforting. My meal arrived a short time later, and was accompanied by a chapati and some raita. The eggplant was cooked to perfection -- it was not mushy and had soaked up a huge amount of flavour from the slightly sweet and sour, spicy masala sauce. The paneer tasted very fresh, and the tangy raita added a nice punch to the dish. I happily finished my meal and noticed on my way out the door that Rangoli features a wall of refrigerated cases from which you can purchase pre-made meals from Vij's. If only I didn't have a flight back to Toronto preventing me from stocking up! Rangoli is a great, tasty, inexpensive lunch spot, and I highly recommend it.

4. Go Fish (1504 West 1st Ave) - This is a tiny fish stand down by the water near Granville Island, with no indoor seating. Luckily, I was there on one of Vancouver's few sunny Winter days. Go Fish serves up a variety of homey seafood offerings, such as fish n' chips, fish tacos, and rich chowder. The day I was there, tempura cod tacos were on special, and sounded great -- I decided to give them a try. Each taco contained a piece of extremely fresh tempura battered and deep-fried cod with some sesame-flavoured cabbage slaw, tomatoes, and a spicy red sauce. The fish was cooked perfectly, and its fluffiness was contrasted nicely by the crunch of the tempura and cabbage. The earthy, sesame flavour of the slaw really enhanced the Asian feel of this typically Mexican dish, and the spicy sauce left a pleasant after-burn. I wolfed down both my tacos in no time. Around me, lots of people were digging into fantastic-looking orders of fish n' chips, served in bamboo steamers. I think I may need to make a special trip back to the West coast to give one of the battered salmon portions a try. Go Fish was definitely my favourite Vancouver find. Go now!

La Dame qui Déjeune

2007-02-26T19:14:00.000-05:00

Last week, I found myself in la belle province for work -- Montreal, specifically. The trip started out not great, with a surly cab driver and a mix-up at my hotel, but once I got settled and ate some breakfast -- a flaky croissant with some delightfully rich and perfectly-cooked scrambled eggs (room service, yay!) -- all was well. With some time to kill before an evening meeting, I wandered down to Old Montreal to try a ~~lunch~~ déjeune spot that I had heard raves about: Olive et Gourmando. When I stepped into this tiny bakery-cafe after a long, trecherous walk in the cold (Montreal is slippery in February, yo), I was greeted by a friendly hostess who quickly sat me at the last empty table -- the place was packed! I was then directed to the back of the cafe to order off of the blackboard menu. Olive et Gourmando offers a number of hot and cold sandwiches, along with a few salads and soups. I was tempted by a yummy-sounding grilled goat cheese number, but I ended up selecting the Smoked Trout sandwich, and a Limonata to drink.

Settling in back at my table, I noticed how warm and cosy this little restaurant is. The front of the shop offers shelves of gourmet foodstuffs, and the cash register is surrounded by mountains of delicious-looking baked treats and fresh bread. It's a foodie paradise.

My sandwich arrived after no time at all, and I dug in. The most unique thing about this sandwich is the bread -- it's thick, chewy, and grilled, and strongly reminded me of one of my favourite flatbreads: naan. The charred flavour from the bread went nicely with the smokey trout, which was combined with tangy capers and sun-dried tomatoes. A layer of herbed cream cheese mellowed out the flavours to perfection. This was one badass sandwich. I found a recipe for it online, but if you're in Montreal I strongly recommend trying the original.

As I finished up my sandwich, the aforementioned treats near the cash register began calling my name. In particular, the little "exquisite brownies" had me drooling. I bought one to eat right away for dessert, and two to take home to Dave in Toronto. As I bit into my fudgy little piece of chocolatey heaven, I was struck by how well-balanced the flavours were. This brownie was not too sweet, with a deep chocolate flavour and a slight bitter edge from some espresso in the batter. Amazing. Apparently, the secret is Valhrona chocolate, and Dave was equally impressed when he received his Montreal souvenir.

Olive et Gourmando was definitely the highlight of my short Montreal trip (the lowlight: Chez Cora's, the French Denny's. Avoid Avoid. Avoid.). Next time I'm Frenching it up, Quebec style, I'm definitely going to make a point of going back to this perfect little bakery. You should too.

Favourites

2007-02-18T15:27:00.000-05:00

Just for fun, here are a few of my favourite things to eat in Toronto:

The fish sandwich from Jumbo Burgers
Paneer Makhani from North of Bombay
Pasteis de Nata (Portuguese custard tarts) from Nova Era
Olive Fougasse from ACE Bakery
Homemade iced tea from Cool Hand of Girl
Vegetable Thali and Rotty from Rashnaa
Mac and Cheese from Victory Cafe
Vegetable Tempura Maki from ASA Sushi
Falafel Dinner from Mr. Pita
Fresh pasta and sauce from St. Lawrence Market
Veggie "meat" products to cook at home from King's Cafe
Squash, Apple, and Caraway Soup from Silver Spoon
Shrimp, egg, and chive dumplings from Mother's Dumplings
Any seafood from Starfish Oyster Bar
Pretty much anything from Utopia Cafe

mmm...now I'm hungry!

It is Easy Being Green

2007-02-17T10:41:00.000-05:00

After my disappointing experiences with Young Thailand, I had a mean craving for some Thai green curry. Luckily, I have a great Asian market near my work with a large selection of unique veggies and other hard-to-find items. When I stopped in last week, there was an abundance of fresh baby bok choy and snake beans -- two of my favourite Asian vegetables! I grabbed some, along with green curry paste and deep-fried tofu, and headed home to whip up some delicious Thai stew. This dish is very versatile and easy to throw together -- use whatever veggies you like. The end result is sweet and spicy, with a touch of sourness from the lime, and the snake beans squeak when you bite into them! Dave mentioned that the leftovers were even better the next day. Enjoy!

Green Vegetable Curry

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger root
1 can coconut milk
2 tablespoons green curry paste
1-2 teaspoons honey
1/2 cup water
6 baby bok choy, sliced into quarters
1/2 lb snake beans, chopped into 3-inch lengths
10 deep-fried tofu puffs
1 carrot, peeled and thickly sliced on the diagonal
2 green onions, sliced on the diagonal
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 fresh lime

1. Heat oil over medium in a large, deep skillet or pot. Add garlic and ginger, and cook for one minute, until fragrant. Spoon 1/2 cup of the thickened coconut cream off of the top of the coconut milk can (open it carefully, so the cream stays on top), and add it to the skillet with the green curry paste. Simmer until the coconut cream evaporates and you have a very thick paste, about 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Add the remaining coconut milk, water, carrot, beans, tofu, and honey to the skillet, and salt to taste. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the bok choy, and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in the green onions, cilantro, and lime juice. Season to taste, and serve over freshly steamed jasmine rice.

Serves 3

If you haven't seen it yet...

2007-02-09T18:29:00.001-05:00

Here Anthony Bourdain hands out a well-deserved beating to the worst of the Food Network sock puppets. His comments on Rachael Ray are particularly scathing. Meow!

Review: Young Thailand

2007-02-05T15:59:00.000-05:00

Considering the prevalence of Thai food in Canada (and especially Toronto), it's difficult to imagine that, not long ago, there was only one Thai restaurant in the country. In 1980, Wandee Young opened the groundbreaking Young Thailand to a largely indifferent public -- the enterprise lasted less than a year, but helped give the exotic flavours of Thailand a foothold in the Canadian foodie consciousness. A decade later, Ms. Young again opened Young Thailand to a Canada that was ready to embrace this delicious cuisine. A while ago, I was happy to learn that Young Thailand has temporarily relocated to my neighborhood (2907 Dundas St. West) while its downtown location is renovated. Last week, Dave and I decided to try some takeout from this new spot to celebrate my birthday.

The menu at Young Thailand is extensive, although light on vegetarian dishes. To start, Dave and I ordered the Tofu Tod (deep-fried taro and tofu), For mains, we decided on Goong Kratiam (garlic pepper shrimp) and red curry vegetables with rice, and we rounded out the meal with Khao Nhew Mamuang (mango with sticky rice) for dessert. We were told to come by in 30 minutes to pick up the food.

When Dave got home with the takeout containers, I ripped into them eagerly. I was dissappointed to see that we had been given "mixed vegetables" instead of the red vegetable curry, as I had really been craving this dish. As well, the restaurant was out of the mango dessert, so we substituted Gluay tod (fried honey banana).

The taro and tofu appetizer was really interesting -- the taro was shredded and formed into little patties, then deep-fried, and the tofu was deep fried as-is, in little triangles. A delicious spicy dipping sauce was served on the side, and the subtle sweetness of the crispy taro patties matched well with the heat of the sauce. The tofu triangles were a little underwhelming, but I think anything would taste great paired with that tongue-tingling dipping sauce. The appetizer also came with a fresh mango slaw, whose sourness helped counteract the richness of the deep-fried bites.

Onto the mains! The shrimp, which also came with mango slaw, were coated in a spicy, garlicky sauce that had a nice depth of flavour. The mixed vegetables were served in a salty, soy-based sauce which tasted great soaked up by the fluffy jasmine rice. The veggies were very fresh, and had the perfect amount of crunch left in them. Although I missed the red curry, the mixed veggies were not a bad substitution.

Our dessert of fried banana had gotten a little soggy in the takeout container, so we crisped it in a 400 degree oven for a few minutes, and then drizzled the accompanying honey on top. It was exactly what you would expect from a fried banana -- the batter was pretty standard and the honey was just regular, old honey. This dish could have used some perking up, but it was tasty nonetheless.

After this birthday meal, Dave and I were completely stuffed and satisfied. I would rate Young Thailand's food well above your usual Thai takeout joints, but make sure to clarify your order so as to prevent mixups.

EDIT: So, we tried Young Thailand again and had further problems with order mixups (even after spending 10 minutes on the phone trying to explain our relatively simple order). Add to that some extremely ketchup-y and bland pad thai, and I will not be ordering take-out from Young Thailand again.

EDIT, TAKE TWO: I went to eat-in at Young Thailand tonight and had a very nice experience. The calamari appetizer is light and crispy, with a nice spicy flavour and a GREAT dipping sauce, and the warm glass noodle salad is delicious. Service was attentive and friendly, and they didn't screw up any of our orders. Despite their crappy take-out record with me, I would definitely recommend Young Thailand if you are eating in.

3 piglets out of 10 (take-out)
7 piglets out of 10 (eat-in)

Cowgirl Ranch Eggs

2007-01-29T20:03:00.000-05:00

I'm a big fan of eggs. This might be because I grew up in a very egg-friendly household, where my mom would serve up mountains of fried egg sandwiches to my brother and I for dinner on a regular basis. I loved to dip mine in ketchup, so the sweetness of the bright red sauce would mingle with the salty eggs and soft, buttered toast. To this day, I sometimes get mean cravings for this absurdly simple meal.

But, sometimes I like to dress up my eggs. Just this past week, I decided to whip up some huevos rancheros -- a crispy tortilla and creamy beans with perfectly-cooked eggs and spicy ranchero sauce sounded like just the thing to counter my mid-winter blahs. I like to scramble my huevos, but the traditional way to cook them for this dish is sunny-side-up. Try them whatever way you like best, but make sure to grind some fresh pepper over the top before digging in. Caliente!

Huevos Rancheros

1 batch ranchero sauce (below)
2 large corn tortillas
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 cup refried beans
1 tbsp butter
4 large eggs
grated cheddar or monterey jack

1. Preheat oven to 500 F. Brush tortillas with the oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or so, until slightly crisp. In the meantime, warm the refried beans (I usually use the microwave).
2. Melt butter in a non-stick skillet. Add the eggs, and scramble until almost set. Sprinkle the eggs with cheese and cover to finish cooking (about 1 minute more).
3. Spread half of the refried beans onto each tortilla. Divide the cooked eggs between the tortillas, and then pile on the ranchero sauce. Grind some fresh pepper on top, and serve with sour cream and diced avocado, if desired.

Ranchero Sauce

1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 cup chopped tomatoes, seeded
1/2 cup water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced (remove membranes for less heat)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1. Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the onions, green pepper, and a pinch of salt, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, remaining salt, cayenne, garlic, and jalapeno, and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Finally, add the water, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered until thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add the cilantro. Season to taste and cover to keep warm until ready to assemble the huevos rancheros.

Serves 2

This Rice is Wild

2007-01-11T20:28:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's been a month since my last update! I've been super busy settling in at the new job, and I'm really enjoying it. I had a nice relaxing Christmas with my parents, which involved a lot of movies, reading, and being horizontal. Unfortunately, this was followed by a week of sinus cold that Dave brought back from Edmonton with him. Boo!

When you have a cold, nothing is more appealing than a warm, comforting bowl of soup. Luckily, I recently picked up A Beautiful Bowl of Soup by Paulette Mitchell to add to my ever-expanding cookbook collection. It has a lot of unusual, but delicious-sounding combinations, including the one that appealed to under-the-weather me: Wild Rice Cranberry Soup. I'm a big fan of wild rice, but I had never had cranberries in soup before. Since it was the holiday season, I thought the fruit would add a festive touch -- it did, and the soup was amazing.

Wild Rice Cranberry Soup

3 tbsp butter
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 tbsp flour
3 cups veggie stock
1.5 cups wild rice, cooked
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup milk
2 tbsp dry sherry
salt & pepper, to taste
chopped italian parsley to garnish

1. Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion, and a pinch of salt and cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
2. Add the flour to the pot and stir to combine. Add the veggie stock one cup at a time, stirring thoroughly between additions to prevent lumps. Increase the heat slightly, and cook until soup thickens (5 minutes). Stir in the wild rice and cranberries , reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in milk and sherry, and season to taste. Warm through.
4. Serve in warmed bowls with some parsley and freshly ground black pepper to garnish.

serves 4

Curry equals Yum!

2006-12-13T17:41:00.000-05:00

Apologies for the lack of updates. Between starting a new job and getting ready for Christmas, I haven't had time for much of anything. I have had a little time to cook, however, and I recently whipped up a yummy coconut curry chickpea stew that I'd like to share. This recipe is super easy, and you can substitute the vegetables at will. Use a good-quality curry powder (I bought mine in Little India) to achieve optimal flavour.

Chickpea Stew in Golden Coconut Curry Sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
juice of 1/2 lime
1 potato, peeled and diced into bite-sized cubes
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
14 oz can "lite" coconut milk
1 cup water
15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 bunch spinach, stemmed and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
2 jalapenos, minced, or to taste (remove the seeds and membranes for less heat)
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 avocado, diced

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, and saute for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until the garlic starts to turn golden-brown.
2. Add the coriander, cumin, and curry. Stir for 30 seconds. Add the potato and bell pepper, and continue to cook (stirring occasionally) for 3 minutes.
3. Add the coconut milk, water, soy sauce, chickpeas, and spinach to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the potato is tender, about 8 minutes.
4. Stir in the cilantro, jalapeno, and lime juice. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes more to blend flavours. Season to taste.
5. Serve on top of freshly steamed basmati rice. Top each serving with some avocado chunks and a wedge of lime. Dig in!

serves 4

Remembering Julia

2006-11-23T20:51:00.000-05:00

Long before 30 minute meals, staggering dicketry, and semi-homemade, semi-edible cooking became the cornerstones of food television, Julia Child paved the way with coq au vin, madeleines, and petits fours. With her groundbreaking cooking show, The French Chef, Julia introduced 1960's America to fussy French cuisine with friendly, infectious enthusiasm. Without her breathless passion for the kitchen, foodie-ism and cookery would not be a multi-million dollar industry today.

I recently got my paws on a new DVD that celebrates the life of this iconic lady -- Julia Child! The French Chef. This 3-disc collection includes a 2004 documentary, Julia Child! America's Favorite Chef, as well as 12 episodes of The French Chef that were aired between 1963 and 1971 (some are in black & white). 348 minutes of Julia!

The one-hour documentary is a complete history of Julia, from her childhood to the years just before her death. In spite of its public television production, the film is very well-done with a lot of interesting tidbits that aren't widely known (particularly about her life before she met her husband Paul). A lot of Paul Child's photography is showcased, as well as images from Julia's family photo albums. Interviews with Julia's friends, experts, and the woman herself round out the experience. I found this film delightful -- it's thoughtful, funny, and even emo (I found myself tearing up at points). Highly recommended.

Once you've watched the doc, the 12 episodes of The French Chef that are included on this DVD let you get a great taste of Julia in action. Because I was too young (pre-embryonic, even) to catch any of these episodes when they first aired, the whole experience of Julia's awkward, shout-y, stumbling delivery was completely new to me with this DVD. I loved it. Her imperfections are clearly what made her show so accessible to the American public, and her raw passion makes you just want to get into the kitchen. In this collection, the episodes are shown in "menu order" (starters and sides, then mains, then desserts) -- while cute, this can be a little off-putting because the episodes are not in the order they were aired and therefore switch from colour to B&W, and back again. Nevertheless, many classics are covered (quiche Lorraine, pot au feu, brioches, coquilles Saint-Jacques, etc.), and it's always a joy to watch Julia. The discs also include printable recipes from The French Chef.

Julia Child's importance in the evolution of today's food culture should never be forgotten. This DVD collection will help any foodophile remember why he/she fell in love with cooking and eating delicious cuisine in the first place.

Bon Appetit!

Review: Duke of Gloucester

2006-11-05T13:54:00.000-05:00

In a word: Disappointing. In many more words:

After watching the hilarious Borat movie at Varsity Theatre last night, a group of 8 of us decided to go grab some food on Yonge Street. Without any particular restaurant in mind, we wandered south from Bloor and finally settled on the Duke of Gloucester (649 Yonge St) because I had heard that it's a good spot for English pub fare. After climbing a steep and narrow set of stairs, we encountered a divey-looking English-style pub and found a table large enough for our big group in a private little room in the back. The carpet is worn at the Duke, and the wallpaper is very grandmother's-living-room -- the end result is an "authentic-feeling" atmosphere.

Our waiter greeted us with menus and took our beer orders -- there's a variety of domestic and English brews on tap. As we sipped our pints, we all had trouble deciding what to order. The menu is extensive, including a lot of tasty-sounding and very British items (e.g. chip butties, steak pie, curries, fish n' chips, etc). I finally settled on the vegetable curry pot pie with mashed potatoes and veggies on the side. Other items ordered around the table included club sandwiches, steak and mushroom pie, chicken fajitas, and the daily special sandwich with the soup of the day (which we were told was sweet potato and chive).

After a wait long enough to finish our first pints, our waiter and another server began to bring the food out. Here's where the problems started: Dave had ordered a side of curry gravy for his fries and his dish was brought without it -- when he mentioned this to the server (not our original waiter), she brusquely told him that her hands were full and that it would come out later. That's fine, but she didn't have to be an asshole about it. In addition, our friend who had ordered the soup of the day was given a bowl of chicken-noodle (not the originally-promised sweet potato chive). There seemed to have been a lack of communication between the kitchen and our waiter because they were actually out of the sweet potato -- said friend settled on a salad instead after mentioning she had been looking forward to the soup.

Everyone's food was brought out except our friend who had ordered the fajitas. Our waiter did show concern about this and ended up comping the dish when it was finally brought out after the rest of us had more-than-half finished our meals.

Speaking of the meals, my curry pot pie was a dish of veggie curry, topped with a piece of puff pastry (the pastry had clearly not been baked together with the curry) -- this appears to be the definition of "pie" at the Duke because the steak and mushroom pie was done the same way. I dug in to find that my curry was cold. After a quick poll around the table, this seemed to be a problem with everyone's food. Not only was the curry cold, the puff pastry on the top was bone-dry and extremely difficult to cut. This was a shame because the curry actually tasted quite good! It had a bold tomato flavour and some nice spice to it. With some heat and better-quality pastry, this dish would have been excellent. The mashed potatoes on the side were peppery and flavourful, but the veggies were not cooked enough and were essentially raw (and also cold).

After finishing our chilly dinners, the general consensus was: "meh." Our waiter was friendly and definitely helped the situation with the comped dish, but his co-worker mentioned above was not cool. I won't be returning to the Duke of Gloucester.

4 buttless chaps out of 10

Review: Utopia Cafe

2006-11-01T20:34:00.000-05:00

In preparation for the big Rue Morgue Halloween Party this past Saturday, Dave, our out-of-town friends Ken and Yvonne, and I found ourselves in search of some belly-filling, alcohol-soaking-up tasty eats. Having just come from Kensington Market, we were near College Street and a reastaurant I had been wanting to try: Utopia Cafe (586 College St). As we stepped inside, a tiny dining room surrounding an open kitchen welcomed us. Utopia is a warm, cozy space with art lining the walls like a mini-gallery. After a very brief wait our friendly, attentive, hyperactive waiter directed us to a table and brought over menus and a carafe of ice water (I love that).

The menu offers a plentitude of delicious-sounding salads, burritos, sandwiches, and burgers. I was torn between the grilled salmon burrito (with garlic dill mayo!) and the "kissing cousins" burger. I finally decided on the latter (with a veggie patty) because I was craving fries. Dave, and Ken ordered bison burgers, and Yvonne settled on the standard charbroiled beef burger.

Our food didn't take long at all to arrive at our table. My burger was topped with a handful of crumbly goat cheese, some mint mayo, onion, lettuce, and tomato. I spread on a touch of Utopia's house-made jalapeno orange hot sauce and dug in. The (soy-based) veggie patty was nearly indiscernible from beef and the sharp, creamy goat cheese tasted amazing with the subtle mint mayo and spicy kick from the hot sauce. The mountain of fries that came with my burger were obviously cut from real potatoes and had been freshly fried to crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside goodness. I could not have been more pleased. Dave, Ken, and Yvonne also enjoyed their burgers immensely.

When we had finished with our huge entrees, we were all too stuffed for dessert -- our bellies were definitely filled and ready to be assaulted by free beer at the party. At $7 to $9 per delicious plate, these meals were a great value. We will definitely be back to Utopia -- After all, I still have to try that salmon burrito!

9 pretty ponies out of 10

Review: Asa Sushi

2006-10-22T11:30:00.000-04:00

Since we moved to Toronto, Dave and I have been searching for a great sushi restaurant in our neighborhood. There are plenty of kickass, inexpensive sushi joints downtown, like our favourite HoSu Bistro, but we just couldn't find a clear-cut winner in our neck of the woods. That is, until one of Dave's coworkers suggested Asa Sushi at Jane and Bloor (18 Jane Street).

Asa Sushi occupies a clean, bright space with light wood screens dividing most of the tables -- you get a lot of privacy from fellow diners. The open sushi bar is manned by a stern-looking fellow in traditional garb (presumably the owner) and the adorable, super-friendly waitresses are quick to greet you when you enter.

The menu at Asa includes teriyaki and soup/noodles, but we're all about the sushi and maki when we visit. The maki selection is huge, with a lot of really creative rolls. There's a large selection of vegetarian maki, as well as some non-traditional deep-fried rolls. In addition, there's the usual tempting nigri-sushi offerings. It's really difficult to choose what to order!

One of our favourite dishes has been the 12-piece tempura, which is crispy and light and includes some unusual items such as salmon and asparagus along with the more standard prawns and vegetables (all for only $4.95!). I am also a huge fan of the vegetable tempura maki, which is at least 2 inches in diameter, and is stuffed with tasty vegetable and onion tempura. The yam tempura maki is similarly huge, with big chunks of yam tempura rolled up inside-out style and sprinkled with nutty toasted sesame seeds. Delicious. On our most recent visit, a ninja roll was ordered ("Ninja Roll!" exclaimed our devestatingly cute server), and it came drizzled with both a sweet teriyaki-style sauce as well as a very spicy cream sauce, making for a great, interesting contrast of flavours.

Prices at Asa Sushi are low, and the servings are large. Complimentary green tea is refilled frequently, and every meal is started with a green salad in Japanese orange dressing (which I find is more bland at Asa than at other places I've been). The combination of great value, friendly service, and maki variety found at Asa make it a winner in my book, and I'm ecstatic that we finally found ourselves a go-to neighborhood sushi joint.

Embrace your Inner Dillweed

2006-10-09T10:51:00.000-04:00

At my grocery store, you can only buy fresh dill in huge bunches. Since most recipes call for, at most, 1/4 cup of dill, I'm usually left with a lot of leftover herb which ends up rotten at the bottom of my vegetable drawer. With my most recent dill purchase, I was determined to not let this happen. I scoured my cookbooks for dill recipes, and ended up finding two that sounded perfect in the same book: Once Upon a Tart... by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audureau. I have posted about this cookbook before, but I have to reiterate what a great resource it is. The photography is beautiful and the recipes are simple, yielding delicious results.

The two recipes I decided to try, with minor adjustments, were "Cheddar-Parmesan Scones with Fresh Dill" and "Creamy Carrot soup with Fresh Dill." Both turned out fabulously, and neither were difficult to throw together. The soup was creamy and savoury, and the scones light, fluffy, and full of cheesy flavour. The secrets to these two recipes are complete opposites: the soup should be pureed as much as needed to achieve a perfect, silky texture, and the scones should be mixed as little as possible to maximize their resemblance to little clouds.

Cheddar-Parmesan Scones with Fresh Dill

2 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
generous pinch cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) cold butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 large eggs
1/2 cup cold milk
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
2 cups grated aged white cheddar
1/3 cup grated parmesan

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with a baking rack positioned in the centre. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl with a wooden spoon.
3. Add the butter to the dry ingredients, and use a pastry cutter to combine just until the mixture looks like moist crumbs. Do not overmix! (alternately, use a food processor to mix the butter with the dry ingredients, pulsing just until the mix looks like moist crumbs)
4. In another small bowl, beat the eggs slightly and whish in the milk. Stir the cheeses and dill into this mixture.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir with a wooden spoon just until no flour is visible.
6. Use a 1/2-cup measuring cup to scoop up the dough, and plop it onto the baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between scones.
7. Place the baking sheet on the centre rack in your oven, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
7. Let scones cool on a wire rack for a few minutes (until they won't burn your mouth), and then dig in! These scones require no extra butter -- eat them plain, or with a little honey. They'd also go great topped with scrambled eggs!

makes about 8 scones

Creamy Carrot Soup with Fresh Dill

1/2 big yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp butter
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb. medium carrots (4-5), peeled and coarsely chopped
1 small yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
2 cups vegetable stock
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup light cream

1. Warm the oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large soup pot. Add the onions and a pinch of salt, and saute for 5-10 minutes until the onions begin to reduce in volume (reduce heat slightly if they start to brown). Then, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking onions for another 10-15 minutes, until they are tender and translucent.
2. Add the carrots and potato to the onions, and cook for another 15-20 minutes.
3. Add the stock to the vegetables and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30-40 minutes until the veggies are very tender.
4. Turn off the heat, and use an immersion belender to puree the soup in the pot until silky (alternately, a food processor may be used to puree the cooled soup in batches).
5. Warm the pureed soup over medium heat, and stir in the dill, salt, pepper, and cream. If the soup is too thick, add some stock or cream to thin it out. Ladle into warm bowls, top with some fresh dill, and enjoy!

serves 2

Review: Mr. Pita

2006-09-30T12:19:00.000-04:00

I'm always on the lookout for great take-out spots in our neighborhood for those times when I don't feel like cooking. Pizza or Thai are usually our standbys, but Dave and I recently came across a new spot, Mr. Pita (3358 Dundas St W), that offers a refreshing change from our typical take-out choices.

Mr. Pita is located in a small, unassuming building on the corner of Dundas and Runnymede. The decor is standard take-out joint chic, with just a few eat-in tables surrounding the counter and cooking area where you place your order. Big windows let in a lot of light, giving the place a cheerful vibe. Also cheerful is the super-friendly owner, who is always generous with the smiles and warm welcomes when you step in the door.

The menu on the wall offers a number of Middle Eastern dishes, but on out most recent outing it was all about the falafel. Mr. Pita makes their falafel balls from scratch -- no frozen, dry choking hazards here. When you order the "Falafel Dinner" these delicious, spicy homemade morsels are piled on top of rice pilaf, stewed vegetables, tabouli, a slightly sweet coleslaw-like salad, pickled beets, fresh tomato, onion, and lettuce, and a generous serving of hummus. The whole thing is then topped with a creamy, savoury tahini dressing and house-made delicious hot sauce. Served with very fresh and soft pita bread, this is an amazing deal for $5.99.

As he assembles our meals, the owner is happy to chat and joke with us, throwing in a couple extra pieces of pita bread for free. The service at Mr. Pita is some of the most friendly and genuine that I have ever encountered. The food is delicious, but the main reason we will return to Mr. Pita (again and again) is the fact that it feels great to patronize local neighborhood spots like this where you know your money is going to a great guy.

In Defence of Gluttony: A Photoessay

2006-09-29T18:27:00.000-04:00

After seeing some mouthwatering ads on TV (we're such suckers), Dave and I decided it would be a good idea to get a group together for the all-you-can-eat shrimp promotion that's going on at Red Lobster right now. Brett, taker of the photos below and a graphic designer at Dave's place of employ, Rue Morgue, called up the restaurant to make sure that the, as he hilariously put it, "Eternal Shrimp" event was still on. They confirmed that it was, so we gathered the troops (L-R in the photo below: Paul, Alex, Brett, Gary, Nicole, me, Dave, and Jovanka) to eat as much shrimp as possible in one sitting.

The evening started on an optimistic note, with everyone finishing their free salad and biscuits (which are so, so good), as well as their first servings of shrimp no problem. Plenty of jokes were made referencing the Simpsons seafood episode and the obligatory"Deadly Prawn" pun was slam-dunked by Jovanka (who was the only attendee who was not partaking in the shrimp pig-out due to an allergy). Our servers humoured us, providing pitchers of Diet Coke for the table, and bringing out shrimp replacements at timely intervals. It was soon discovered that the only non-breaded shrimp offering, the garlic shrimp, is the dish to order if you want to maximize your shrimp consumption. On the other hand, the shrimp pasta, while delicious, is a complete appetite-killer due to the huge serving of carbs and rich sauce that comes with it.

After 4 or 5 servings, everyone started to slow down and some people dropped out of the "race" completely (me included). Three of the lead contenders: Paul, Brett, and Gary fell out after 86 prawns were consumed each. To be fair, Paul's shrimp intake included two servings of the aforementioned pasta.

Dave, however, would not stop until he broke three digits. The photo below is shrimp #101. He eventually made it to 105, and then exploded.

As a table, we ate about 540 shrimp between 7 people. It was amazing. The carnage can be seen below.

Gary feels remorse:

Brett slips into a shrimp-induced coma:

Paul struggles to keep his two servings of shrimp pasta down:

While all-you-can-eat deals probably shouldn't be challenged on a regular basis, we had a blast on this particular outing. At $23 bucks a pop, it was definitely worth the price. Thanks, Red Lobster!

Review: Toni Bulloni (Subhead: I Heart Pasta)

2006-09-24T11:42:00.000-04:00

Comforting, versatile pasta is easily one of my favourite foods. This past week, I was lucky to have had two great pasta experiences -- first with a new (to me) restaurant, and second with an easy and delicious recipe. The restaurant experience came about because Dave invited me to a screening of Michel Gondry's new film, The Science of Sleep, and we needed somewhere to eat beforehand. Unfortunately, the screening happened to be in Yorkville, an area of town where "inexpensive" is a dirty word. After a quick intarweb search, we settled on Toni Bulloni (156 Cumberland St.), an Italian restaurant right across the street from the movie theatre that turned out to be not only inexpensive, but homey and entirely satisfying.

Toni Bulloni is a skinny restaurant -- to get to the seating area, you have to walk down a narrow corridor that follows the length of the bar. The atmosphere is dark, warm, and inviting with cozy booths and interesting, brightly-coloured art on the walls. The attentive and friendly server brought our drinks promptly and left us to peruse the menus once we were seated. The menu is large, with a focus on pasta and pizza as well as some meat entrees. The chalkboard on the wall beside us also listed several tasty-sounding specials. It was difficult to choose, but I decided on penne in vodka rose sauce (one of the specials), and Dave chose linguine in a chicken, asparagus, and sundried tomato rose sauce.

As we waited for our meals, the server brought us a small loaf of complimentary bread fresh from the oven, with garlic butter melted over the top. It was delicious and the perfect thing to whet our appetites for the dishes to come. As we munched on the bread, we saw a pizza go by that looked amazing.

Soon after, our generously-portioned pasta dishes were placed in front of us and topped with fresh ground pepper and parmesan. I dug into my penne and was immediately impressed -- the sauce was creamy but not too rich, with chunks of fresh tomato, onion, and just a hint of vodka flavour. The noodles were perfectly cooked to al dente, each one coated with a lovely thin layer of sauce. I was thrilled with my choice.

While I enjoyed my penne, Dave was busy attacking a mountain of linguine. The long, plump noodles were covered in chunks of chicken and crunchy-fresh thin asparagus spears. The earthy-tasting sundried tomato rose sauce tied the entire dish together -- in Dave's words, "mmmm."

While we were in pasta-heaven, our server stopped by to give us some free soda refills -- something that I find is rare at non-chain restaurants (and a complete surprise in Yorkville). She was also happy to accomodate my doggy-bag needs when I couldn't finish my huge bowl of pasta. Overall, the service and food at Toni Bulloni were excellent. It made for a perfect pre-movie dinner and this spot will be at the top of my list next time I'm craving a big bowl of pasta downtown.

8 spaghetti westerns out of 10

After our experience at Toni Bulloni, I was in the mood to make some pasta at home. I turned to one of my all-time favourite cookbooks, Rebar by Audrey Alsterburg and Wanda Urbanowicz, and their "September Spaghettini" sounded like a perfect (and appropriate) antidote to my craving. The simple tomato-basil sauce in this recipe has loads of garlic and tomato flavour. The red chiles add a nice kick, and the touch of honey really mellows out the acidity of the fresh tomatoes. I recommend serving big bowls of this pasta with garlic bread and plenty of extra Parmigiano-Reggiano.

September Spaghettini

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
pinch red chile flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cracked pepper
6 ripe garden tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
30 g fresh basil
1 heaping tsp honey
1/2 lb spaghettini
Parmigiano-Reggiano for garnish

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add onion and saute until soft and lightly golden. Add garlic, bay leaf, chiles, salt, and pepper, and saute for 5 minutes over low heat. Stir in tomatoes and honey, and simmer gently uncovered up to an hour, until the sauce has acheived your desired thickness. Add chopped basil and season to taste.
2. While the sauce simmers, cook the spaghettini in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and toss the pasta with half the sauce. Distribute pasta into bowls, and then top with the remaining sauce and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Enjoy!

Serves 2

Cookbook Love

2006-09-21T20:30:00.000-04:00

I've had some great luck with cookbooks lately. The first, which I've mentioned previously, is Great Grilled Cheese by Laura Werlin. The entire book focuses on the delicious, gooey title sandwich, in dozens of iterations. Craving something garlicky, Dave and I decided to try the Garlic-Crusted Sourdough with Cheddar sandwich. The secret is the garlic- and parmesan-infused butter used to crisp the bread -- it elevates the flavour of this sandwich way beyond your typical grilled cheddar.

We needed something to pair with our sandwiches, so I turned to another new cookbook: Once Upon a Tart... by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audreau. Once Upon a Tart is a bakeshop in New York that specializes in tarts, naturally. This book caught my eye because I have a complete weakness for cookbooks that are put out by restaurants. Plus, the pictures looked delectable and the writing syle seemed friendly and easy-to-follow. It was an easy sell.

Flipping through the salad section, I was tempted by the Haricot-Vert-and-Corn Salad with Roasted Artichoke Hearts and fresh Tarragon-Lemon Vinaigrette. I love roasted corn, and the tart vinaigrette seemed like it would be a nice contrast to the rich cheese sandwiches. I wasn't wrong -- the roasted veggies and fresh beans tasted great with the tarragon dressing, and made for an interesting combination with our flavourful grilled cheese. The only change I would make would be to maybe add some honey to the vinaigrette or use a smaller lemon, because it was a little too acidic.

Two great recipes from two great cookbooks, making for one great meal. Enjoy!

Garlic-Crusted Sourdough with Cheddar

3 cups water
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp butter, room temperature
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
8 slices sourdough bread
8 ounces cheddar, grated (I used aged white cheddar)

1. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the garlic. Boil for 5 minutes, drain, and mash the garlic with the back of a fork in a small bowl. Add the butter and parmesan, and mix well.
2. Butter one side of each slice of bread with the garlic butter. Place 4 slices on your work surface, buttered side down. Distribute the cheese evenly over the 4 slices, and top with the remaining 4 slices of bread, buttered side up.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Put the sandwiches in the skillet (in batches, if necessary), cover, and cook for 2 minutes until the undersides are golden brown and the cheese has begun to soften. Uncover, and turn sandwiches with a spatula, pressing firmly to flatten them slightly. Cook for 1 minute, until the undersides are golden brown. Turn the sandwiches again, press with the spatula, and cook for 30 seconds until the cheese has melted completely. Serve immediately.

makes 4 sandwiches

Haricot-Vert-and-Corn Salad with Roasted Artichoke Hearts and fresh Tarragon-Lemon Vinaigrette

1/2 pound haricots vert, or string beans, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
4 cups cold salted water
2 cups frozen or canned corn
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
One 13.5 ounce can artichoke hearts in water, drained
1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
a pinch of fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

1. Make vinaigrette: Whisk everything but the olive oil together in a small bowl. Add the oil in a thin stream, whisking all the while to form an emulsion. If dressing is too tart, add a small amount of honey to taste. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
3. Bring the water to a boil. Add the beans and blanch them for 1 minute. Drain, and run cold water over them. Drain well before adding to a large salad bowl.
4. Toss the corn with 1 tbsp olive oil, a sprinkling of salt, and a few twists of freshly ground pepper. Scatter the corn on a sheet pan, place in the oven, and roast for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Shake the pan once or twice while cooking to prevent burning. Remove the pan from the oven and scrape the corn into the salad bowl.
5. Cut the artichoke hearts into quarters and toss with the remaining olive oil and garlic. Spread artichokes on the sheet pan and place it in the oven for 25 minutes, until the artichokes begin to get brown with charred edges. When they're done, remove from the oven and scape the artichoke hearts into the salad bowl.
6. Just before serving, toss the vegetables with the vinaigrette. Salt to taste, and serve warm or at room temperature.

serves 4

Review: Okonomi House

2006-09-16T17:25:00.000-04:00

Last week I learned that Japanese food is not all sushi, sashimi, and mayo on pizza when I finally had the opportunity to try Okonimi House (23 Charles St), a Japanese restaurant that specializes in okonomiyaki. Our friend Scott was in town for TIFF, and Okonomi House's close proximity to the Varsity theatre made it an ideal place for Dave, Scott, and I to grab a bite.

The Okonomi House has been around since 1978, and its decor is best decribed as 70's Japanese truck-stop, with squishy booths, wood paneling, and bright orange paper lanterns surrounding the dining area. Enhancing the diner feel was the smooth sounds of the 70's and 80's that came at us from the speakers (as Scott put it, "now with 30% more Rod Stewart").

The menu is short, with a focus on teriyaki and okonomiyaki -- something like a Japanese omelet or pancake, made with eggs and four and your choice of filling ("Okonomi" translates roughly to "as you like" in English). The three of us opted for the okonomiyaki, with Scott and I ordering shrimp and Dave choosing the seafood deluxe. We ordered some steamed rice and stir-fried veggies to go with our mains, and we started our meal with some edamame and a sunomomo salad to share.

The edamame and sunomomo were brought to our table very quickly. The edamame were pretty standard (freshly boiled and salted nicely), and the sunomomo was an unusual combination of bean thread noodles, crab stick, seaweed, carrot shreds, sesame seeds, and cucumber floating in what tasted like a combination of rice vinegar and mirin -- quite refreshing.

Soon thereafter, our okonomiyaki were brought to us on individual cast iron and wood platters, resembling fat pancakes coated in brown sauce with a dollop of mayo on top. We dug in and found that the okonomiyaki were crispy on the outside and completely stuffed with shrimp and, in Dave's case, scallops, crab stick, and squid on the inside. The brown sauce was salty sweet, combining perfectly with the savoury fillings, and the mayo added a nice layer of creaminess, although it was a little rich. I think "yum!" about sums it up.

The okonomiyaki were surprisingly filling, so we had a hard time finishing the stir-fried veggies and rice that we had ordered on the side. The veggies were cooked to tender-crisp and were topped with the brown okonomiyaki sauce, and the rice was nice and sticky. The only complaint we had was that the veggies consisted primarily of bean sprouts.

Filled to capacity, we paid our extremely reasonable bill and headed out into the night. I'm thrilled to have discovered the Okonomi House, and I think that its longevity speaks volumes. This is unique and delicious fast food at a great value, and we'll definitely be back for a pre-movie dinner in the near future.

8 Japanese cowboys out of 10

Mac n' Cheese

2006-09-10T10:21:00.000-04:00

Who doesn't love macaroni and cheese? It's the perfect comfort food! Inspired by a mindblowingly tasty version of this classic dish I had at the Victory Cafe recently (seriously, the Vic's mac n' cheese is fantastic), I decided to whip up a batch at home. I turned to one of my all-time favourite cookbooks, Rebar by Audrey Alsterburg and Wanda Urbanowicz, and "Audrey's Deluxe Mac & Cheese" sounded almost perfect. I made a few minor adjustments and came up with the following recipe, which produces creamy, garlicky results. The key is really the breadcrumb crust -- the garlic roasts in the oven, imparting a nutty flavour, and the crispy breadcrumbs add an interesting textural dimension to the dish. Enjoy!

deluxe mac & cheese

3 cups dry macaroni elbows (or other short, chunky pasta)
1.5 cups broccoli florets
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
1 tsp salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red chile pepper flakes
2.5 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 cup fresh italian parsley, chopped
2 tbsp butter
1.75 cups milk
2 tbsp flour
2 cups grated aged white cheddar
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (grind a few slices of bread in a food processor)
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan

1. Cook pasta in boiling water. When pasta is almost done, add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook until just tender. Strain broccoli and pasta, and toss with a light coating of olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
2. Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet and saute onion, red chile flakes, and 1/4 tsp salt for 5 minutes. Add half of the minced garlic, and cook until the garlic turns golden. Remove from heat and stir in half of the oregano, thyme, and parsley. Set aside.
3. Gently warm the milk (I use the microwave). Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the butter, and whisk constantly until the mixture turns golden. Gradually add the warm milk to the saucepan with 1/2 tsp salt, whisking thoroughly. Heat until sauce thickens (about 10 minutes). Add the onion mixture and the grated cheddar cheese, and stir until the cheese is melted. Season to taste.
4. Make the breadcrumb topping: combine the breadcrumbs with the parmesan and the remaining garlic, oregano, thyme, and parsley. Add 1/4 tsp salt, plenty of cracked pepper, and the remaining 1.5 tbsp olive oil. Mix thoroughly.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To assemble, combine the pasta/broccoli with the cheese sauce and mix well. Pour into an oiled casserole dish. Scatter the topping over the entire surface, working some of it into the noodles. Bake uncovered until golden and bubbly, about 35 minutes.

serves 5

Ala Peanut Butter Sandwiches!

2006-09-09T16:24:00.000-04:00

Today I had a peanut butter and pickle sandwich for lunch. It sounds bizarre, but I've loved this combo since I was a kid -- the salty, crunchy sourness of the pickle is a perfect match for the sweet, creamy nuttiness of the PB. For best results, use white bread, lots of peanut butter, and kosher dill pickles (I like Strub's). Yum.

Review: Anatolia Restaurant

2006-09-07T21:27:00.000-04:00

Craving something different, Dave, our friend Jon, and I found ourselves at Anatolia (5112 Dundas St W) yesterday evening for some Turkish eats. I had never tried Turkish food before, but I had heard great things about this restaurant so we decided to give it a go. We weren't disappointed.

Anatolia is located in a sleazy-looking strip mall, but you quickly forget the exterior when you step inside to homey surroundings and delicious scents from the kitchen. Pillows in the windows, checkered tablecloths, and Turkish wall decorations warm the space, although Jon noted that the pitted "wall treatment" looks not unlike bullet holes, as if someone has taken a jack hammer to the wall. Unusual choice.

Once seated, we had a look at the plentitude of unique choices offered on the menu. It was really tough to make a decision, but we finally settled on a few appetizers: Meze Tabagi (a sampler of dips), Lahmacun (pita topped with beef and spices), and Pacanga (cigar-shaped pastry stuffed with mozzarella and beef). Our distracted server returned with these goodies and our drink orders after a short wait.

The Meze Tabagi offered four dips, along with some soft, warm flatbread: Haydari, a tangy yogurt garlic spread; Domates Ezmesi, a type of spicy salsa, made with tomato, onion, and green peppers; Hummus; and Patlican Ezmesi, a soft, smoky eggplant puree. Of the four, the Haydari was my favourite, followed closely by the Domates Ezmesi. The hummus was better than average, but not mindblowing, and the eggplant puree had an unusual flavour that I'm not sure I liked, but was glad to have tried. Dave and Jon reported that the Lahmacun and Pacanga were delicious, and every morsel was gone by the time our mains arrived.

For my entree, I had ordered Gozleme. These are Turkish "crepes" stuffed with fresh spinach and cheese. More like a quesadilla than a crepe, these tasty Gozleme had been lightly browned so that the crispy exterior contrasted beautifully with the gooey feta and chewy dough interior. There was not too much cheese on the inside -- just a nice salty feta "bite" that enhanced, but did not take away from, the delicate "crepe" -- and the freshness of the bright green spinach added another delicious level of flavour. My crepes were accompanied by marinated red cabbage, and a shredded carrot salad. The cabbage was fantastic: tangy, crunchy, and sour, but the carrot was a little bland.

Dave had ordered a "meat sampler" that was on special, and Jon got Manti -- meat dumplings served in a garlic yogurt sauce. Dave loved his meal, which came with a lamb kebab, Turkish meatballs, and a pocket of dough stuffed with ground beef and spices. These were accompanied by sweet almond rice and tomato couscous sides, as well as the carrot and cabbage salads. Jon also enjoyed his dumplings, although he mentioned that they could have used a little less yogurt on top.

At this point, we were completely stuffed and dessert was out of the question. Too bad, because I was dying to try Kunefe, a cheese pastry with syrup that sounded amazing. I guess I'll have to wait until my next visit! Prices at Anatolia are very reasonable and although service is very spotty, the food (mostly) makes up for it. I recommend this spot for a unique and delicious meal.

7 cowgirl hats out of 10

Goodbye Summer

2006-09-04T13:03:00.000-04:00

As the weather begins to cool and the leaves on the trees begin to change colour, I start to feel cravings for those belly warming, comforting, autumn-y foods that I've missed all summer. One of those quintessential cold-weather meals is hot soup with grilled cheese sandwiches. I recently picked up the Great Grilled Cheese cookbook by Laura Werlin, which has a tonne of great ideas for unique takes on everyone's favourite sandwich. One that really appealed to me was the Tomato, Tarragon, and Goat Cheese Sandwich on Olive Bread, and I decided to pair it with a variation on my mom's recipe for creamy potato soup. I was originally going to make a potato-leek soup but, after a mix-up at the grocery store, I ended up with a big bunch of Swiss chard. It turned out that the earthiness of the chard tasted great with the creamy potato base. Accompanied by the rustic olive bread-based sandwiches, this meal is a delicious twist on the classic soup/grilled cheese combo. With hockey, cozy nights in front of the fire, and rib-sticking delicious food like this on the horizon, I can't wait for the season to change. Bring it on, Winter! I'm ready for you.

Tomato, Tarragon, and Goat Cheese Sandwiches on Olive Bread

6 oz fresh goat cheese
1 small shallot, finely minced
1 small tomato, seeded and diced
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
8 slices olive bread (or soudough)
2 tbsp olive oil

1. Combine cheese, shallot, tomato, and tarragon in a small bowl.
2. Brush one side of each slice of bread with olive oil. Pleace 4 slices on your work surface, oiled side down. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the 4 slices. Place remaining 2 bread slices on top, oiled side up.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Put the sandwiches in the skillet (in batches, if necessary), cover, and cook for 2 minutes until the undersides are golden brown and the cheese has begun to soften. Uncover, and turn sandwiches with a spatula, pressing firmly to flatten them slightly. Cook for 1 minute, until the undersides are golden brown. Turn the sandwiches again, press with the spatula, and cook for 30 seconds until the cheese is soft and creamy. Serve immediately.

makes 4 sandwiches

Creamy Potato-Chard Soup

4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
leaves from 1 bunch Swiss chard, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 cups water
a pinch each of thyme and sage
2 veggie bouillon cube
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 large pinch nutmeg
2 cups milk
2 cups sour cream (low fat is okay)
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp olive oil
parsley, for garnish

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add salt, pepper, onions and celery, and saute for 5 minutes until onions are tender. Add garlic, thyme, and sage, and cook for one minute. Add potatoes, bouillon, and water, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add chard and nutmeg to the pot, cover, and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
2. Remove pot from the stove, and use a hand blender to puree the mixture until it is a smooth paste. Add 1 cup of milk and heat gently.
3. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, flour, and 1 cup milk.
4. Slowly, pour 1/3 of the heated mixture into the sour cream. Slowly pour this mixture back into the remainder of the soup. Heat and stir until thickened. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
5. Garnish with parsley, and serve.

serves 6

Review: Chiado

2006-08-21T19:28:00.000-04:00

To celebrate our anniversary last week, Dave and I decided to eat some seafood at the upscale and popular Portuguese eatery Chiado (864 College Street). I had heard raves about this spot and I thought, what better way to celebrate love than with delicious fish?

When we arrived for our reservation, we were escorted to a secluded table on the bar side of the resturant. The decor and art surrounding us was modern, but not so much that it felt forced and cold -- quite the opposite, actually. The room was also dimly lit, giving it a romatic vibe. We ordered a couple of cold Portuguese beers to start and dived into the fresh bread, olive oil, and black olives that had been brought to our table. The bread was perfectly dense and chewy, and the olive oil was fruity and delicious. What a great start to our meal.

Soon after, our very attentive waiter came by with a platter of fresh fish to show us the daily specials. It was weird to "meet" our dinner like that, but extremely helpful and informative. Based on the waiter's recommendations, I ordered a Portuguese fish called Black Scabbard and Dave ordered stingray (skate) for our mains. To begin, we decided to share some piri-piri shrimp and an octopus, shrimp, and lobster salad.

Before our appetizers arrived, we were brought a small amuse bouche of mild Portuguese cheese with rosemary-infused honey and a balsamic vinegar reduction. The cheese was incredibly delicate and had the texture of soft tofu. It paired perfectly with the honey and balsamic reduction, and I was left wanting more once I had finished. It was a good thing our first course came shortly thereafter.

The piri-piri shrimp were acually two of the largest shrimp I have ever seen, served with some lightly roasted vegetables and a delicious red piri-piri sauce. The sauce was light and delivered just enough kick to tingle the mouth a little bit. It was fantastic. The octopus, shrimp, and lobster salad was tossed with a gentle citrus tarragon aioli and served as a tower atop a red beet, potato, and apple base. The octopus had a meaty texture and was not rubbery at all, and the mild seafood flavours combined beautifully with the aioli. Delicious.

Next to come were our main dishes. My black scabbard was served on top of a risotto flavoured with saffron, sugar snap peas, and fresh tomato, and was finished with a pineapple and fresh herb salsa. The fish was soft and delicate, with a few crispy pieces under the skin that added a delicious, savoury, and unusual flavour -- almost chicken-like. Paired with the delectable salsa, this fish was amazing. The risotto was cooked perfectly, and the freshness of the peas and tomatos cut the richness of the rice nicely. All in all, this was probably one of the best fish dishes I had ever tasted.

Dave similarly enjoyed his skate, which was grilled to perfection: firm yet moist, with a hearty texture. It was served with a summery fresh herb and spinach risotto, and a fresh fruit salsa that contained what appeared to be mandarin orange sections. The few bites I stole from Dave's plate were divine.

We were fairly stuffed after our main courses, so we elected to share a creme brulée for dessert. It was accompanied by a light sour cherry sauce and sugar cookies, and had a nice crisp burnt-sugar top. The custard was just sweet enough, and was complimented nicely by the tartness of the cherries. We were completely sated.

Although the prices at Chiado keep it from being an everyday kind of restaurant (our bill came to $215 with tax and tip), it is fantastic for special occasions (or if someone else is buying). Dave and I definitely had a memorable anniversary meal and I would return to Chiado in a heartbeat.

10 seahorses out of 10

delicious, indeed

2006-08-13T19:27:00.000-04:00

*Photo courtesy delicious. magazine

As a complete cookbook fiend, you'd think that I'd be obsessed with food magazines also. This is not the case. I find most cooking magazines to be either too high-brow and snobby, with too many elaborate and time-intensive recipes (e.g. Gourmet, Bon Appetit), or too basic and therefore boring (e.g. Vegetarian Times). I thought I'd found an extremely happy medium with CHOW magazine, which was written with a twenty-something demographic in mind and had fun articles, photography, and recipe ideas, but CHOW was bought out by CNET after only a few issues and made into an exclusively online publication. I am a fan of Cooking Light magazine, due to its plentiful seafood and vegetarian recipes, but there's just not anything "special" about it -- it's not really visually interesting, and it doesn't generally scream "buy me!" from the magazine rack. Once CHOW ceased to exist, I thought I was done with food magazines. I was wrong.

At Pages bookstore a while ago, I came across a food publication I had never seen before -- delicious. magazine out of Australia. "Voted the world's best food magazine" it's cover declared. "That's good enough for me," I thought, as I carried it to the check-out. This magazine is designed beautifully, with gorgeous photography -- it's fantastic just to look at. If you can get past the pictures and actually read the articles and recipes, they're fantastic too. Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver, and Gordon Ramsay are regular contributors, and all recipes are presented in a fun, conversational tone. It's a delight to read. Despite the hefty pricetag that comes with subscribing to a magazine produced halfway around the world, I signed up in a jiffy.

My first issue arrived a week ago, and I found the following tasty dish in Nigella Lawson's section. The original recipe calls for pumpkin but, since it's not pumpkin season here in Canada, I substituted butternut squash. The Thai curry adds a nice comforting heat to the soft butternut, and the chickpeas contribute a satisfying textural contrast. Try this recipe out -- it's delicious, as advertised.

Aromatic Butternut & Chickpea Hotpot

1 14 oz can coconut milk
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup vegetable stock
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
1 tsp Thai red curry paste
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and cut into 3 cm chunks
2 14 oz cans chickpeas
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1. Combine coconut milk, soy sauce, and stock in a small bowl.
2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large (and deep) frying pan or pot. Add the onion, sprinkle it with some salt, and cook for about 4 minutes until soft. Add the red curry paste, and cook for a minute or so, stirring all the time. Then, add the ground cumin and coriander.
3. Turn the heat up to high, and add the butternut squash. Cook for one minute, stirring, so the squash pieces are coated with the aromatic paste.
4. Pour in the coconut milk mixture, and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, and reduce heat to low. Partially cover the pot and simmer gently for 10-20 minutes, until butternut is soft.
5. Add the drained chickpeas, put the lid back on, and cook for another 10 minutes.
6. Stir gently, add salt, pepper, and fresh cilantro to taste.

Serve with hot basmati rice or crusty bread to soak up the liquids.

Serves 4

Recipe for Disaster: Ham Mousse

2006-08-04T14:43:00.000-04:00

There are few food items that turn my stomach as intensely as meat jello. I'm not sure why it became chic in the mid-twentieth century to combine meat and gelatin, but vintage cookbooks tend to include recipes for an alarming number of chicken- beef- and ham-based jello molds. Aside from the fact that these abominations are textural nightmares, their unnatural shapes and glossy sheens tend to invoke images of a future without hope -- a post-apocalyptic wasteland where all food comes processed, reconstituted, and pre-formed. A world where "Vegetables," "Fresh," and "Organic" have been erased from the vocabulary, newspeak-style.

I don't know about you, but I refuse to allow the Ministry of Love to force ham mousse down my throat. In rebellious solidarity, make this recipe and then burn the horrific results. We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.

Ham Mousse

1 tbsp gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1.5 cups chicken stock
3 cups ham, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1 tbsp onion, grated
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sweet-sour pickles, chopped
3 tbsp dill
1/2 tsp white pepper

1. Place gelatin in 1/4 cup water. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.
2. Chill mixture. When it is almost set, add the rest of the ingredients.
3. Moisten a mold with cold water and add mixture. Chill until firm.

serves 10

Review: Mother's Dumplings

2006-07-30T17:05:00.000-04:00

Dumplings are one of those ubiquitous comfort foods: pretty much every culture on earth has some version of dough wrapped around a filling and then steamed, boiled, or fried. On Friday, Dave, Paul, Alex, and I indulged in dumplings of the Northern Chinese variety at Mother's Dumplings, which is located down a flight of stairs at 79 Huron Street. This restaurant is tiny, with only four eat-in tables, and the decor is nonexistent, yet oddly charming: plastic tablecloths, white walls with minimal adornement, and a TV playing a slideshow of random "serene" scenes (landscapes, mostly).

We sat down and waited a short while for the menus - service at Mother's Dumplings is slow and somewhat distracted, but very friendly. Dave and I were ecstatic to find green onion cakes on the menu: a treat that is very common in Edmonton, but not prevalent in Toronto. We ordered four (one each), which would be our undoing by the end of the meal. Along with the green onion cakes, we ordered five kinds of dumplings, which are served by the dozen, an "assorted salad," and a bowl of steamed rice. Green tea was complimentary.

The chive and noodle dumplings were the first to arrive, followed shortly by the pork and dill (both types of dumplings came boiled). We each combined some soy sauce and red chiles in our dipping bowls and dug in. The chive dumplings were fantastic, with a delicate wrapper and strong chive flavour - I think they were my favorite of the evening. Dave and Paul thoroughly enjoyed the pork dumplings as well.

Our steamed dumplings came next. The shrimp, egg, and chive variety contained a succulent piece of shrimp each, with some fluffy scrambled eggs and light chive aroma accompanying. They were absolutely heavenly. The other steamed dumplings - tofu, mushroom, and bok choy - had a strong savoury flavour that was unusual, but delicious.

The assorted salad came along at this point, which included kim chee, some sort of (Korean?) potato salad, marinated cucumber and bean sprouts, and beans in a light dressing. The entire concoction had a few slices of beef on top. I was a big fan of the cucumber/bean sprout salad, which was extremely refreshing and nicely tangy. The potatoes had some spice to them, and were also tasty, while the kim chee was fairly standard. The beans were relatively bland. I think on future visits I will just order the potato and bean sprout salads individually.

The final dumplings to arrive were fried and stuffed with pork and chives. Dave and Paul finished them off in a hurry. In a bit of odd timing, our steamed rice and green onion cakes came after we had finished all of our dumplings. The onion cakes were much bigger than we expected, cut into 8 pieces each. They were very similar to the cakes served at Sam Wok in Edmonton - somewhat dense, with lots of delicious green onion flavour. Dave and I were in heaven - we had not been able to indulge in this treat since moving out East, and Mother's Dumplings makes a damn good green onion cake.

We were only able to finish two of the cakes, and had to pack the other two to go - all four of us were completely stuffed. A huge dinner for four came to a ridiculously cheap $50, including tax and tip. As we left the restaurant, our server (who I presume to also be the owner) asked how we had heard of the place. When I mentioned that I had read a review online, she got this amazed look on her face and said, "On the computer?!" It was an adorable way to end an amazing meal.

8 hay bales out of 10

A Fishetarian in Burgerville

2006-07-25T18:47:00.000-04:00

As any vegetarian can attest, it's hard to curb a burger craving when you don't eat meat. In most cases, restaurants seem to add the "veggie burger" to their menus as a complete afterthought, serving half-assed over-cooked veggie patties that contain visible chunks of peas and carrots in the hopes of appeasing any vegetarians that want to be fed something other than salad. At the other end of the spectrum, you have restaurants that are blown away by the concept of a veggie burger entirely, and are completely clueless as to what should go between the buns - I came across this in Mexico where, upon ordering a veggie burger, I was served a slab of grilled pineapple on a bun. With mustard. It wasn't half bad!

Really good veggie burgers are few and far between. When I'm in the mood for a burger, I want something that simulates meat resonably well in texture and taste, and is juicy and delicious. I despise the aforementioned "pea and carrot" burgers only slightly more than the dry and crumbly granola "grain" patties that are basically a small loaf of bread, tucked into a bun. How much starch do these restaurants think that vegetarians need?

Here's my current top 5 veggie burgers:

5. Harvey's (various locations) - By far the best large-scale chain veggie burger out there.

4. Blue Plate Diner (10145 104 Street, Edmonton) - These guys make a damn tasty homemade veggie patty. They include beets in the veggie mixture, so it looks like you're eating raw ground beef! It falls apart when you eat it, but this is definitely the best non-soy-based veggie burger I've tried.

3. Magoo's (4242 Dundas W, Toronto) - Although Magoo's veggie burger is a little dry, it is huge and near impossible to distinguish from a "real" hamburger. They also have a large selection of fresh toppings to choose from, and the service is always friendly.

2. Lick's (various locations, GTA) - Licks makes a yummy "natureburger." Their patties stay juicy, and have a tasty flavouring that is unusual from most others I've tried. Bonus points for selling their burgers frozen at Dominion grocery stores so I can make them at home.

1. Jumbo Burgers (685 Runnymede Road, Toronto) - Although not a veggie burger per se, I love the "fish sandwich" at Jumbo Burgers. 3 slabs of deep fried (but not too oily) white fish, served on a soft kaiser bun with tartar sauce. I'm drooling just thinking about it. The decor at this place is hilarious, too.

So, yeah. Burgers!

Pineapple Buns (Bor Lor Bao)

2006-07-16T15:11:00.000-04:00

Lately, I have had a mad craving for Hong Kong Pineapple Buns, aka Bor Lor Bao. Instead of heading down to Chinatown to buy some, I decided to try my hand at making this treat from scratch. Bor Lor Bao are basically sweet yeast-leavened buns with a buttery, sugary "cap." They're called "pineapple buns" because of the criss-cross pattern on top, which looks like the surface of a pineapple.

Sometimes these buns have a sweet filling, but I wanted mine to be plain. After a long Internet search, I finally came across a recipe and got to it. I rarely bake and hardly ever make yeast-leavened bread, so this project was a challenge. I think my Bor Lor Bao turned out okay - they certainly weren't Chinese bakery awesome, but they curbed my craving. If you decide to make this recipe and have a reliable sweet yeast bun recipe, please feel free to use it in place of the one below. Just make enough dough for 12 buns, then add the pineapple caps.

Pineapple Buns
31/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten

1. In a large mixing bow, combine 1/2 cup flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Add oil and milk to the butter and warm to body temperature.
3. Pour butter mixture into the flour mixture, add egges (reserve 1 tbsp for egg wash), and stir well to combine. Beat the mixture for 3 minutes.
4. Add remaining flour, a little at a time, until a soft dough is formed. Turn dough out to a floured surface and knead for 8 minutes, adding small amounts of flour if the dough gets too sticky.
5. Place dough in a large bowl and cover with a clean towel. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1.5 hours. During this time, make the "pineapple topping" (recipe below). After the first rising, punch down dough and let rise again until doubled (about 1.5 hours).
6. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces, and shape into flat buns. Place on lightly greased baking sheets, cover with a slightly damp towel, and let rise until doubled (about 45 minutes).
7. At this point, roll out your refrigerated pineapple topping to a 1/2 cm thickness, manipulating the "dough" as little as possible. If too dry, add a small amount of oil. Use a cookie cutter or a glass to cut out circles (12 total) that are slightly less wide than your buns.
8. Brush the buns with a small amount of water, and place your pineapple rounds on top. Lightly score the toppings with a criss-cross patern, and brush buns with reserved egg.
9. Bake buns at 375 degrees for 10 to 13 minutes on middle rack.

Enjoy these buns plain, or with a little butter. Yum!

Pineapple Topping
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp milk
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder

1. Beat butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy.
2. Add egg yolk, soda, and milk. Mix well.
3. Sift flour and baking powder into the butter mixture. Mix by hand until smooth and not sticky, being careful not to form gluten.
4. Chill topping, wrapped in plastic, in refrigerator for 1 hour or more.

Kitchen Music

2006-07-09T02:05:00.000-04:00

I love listening to music while I cook - making everyday meals can become mundane, but adding great tunes turns it into an "experience." This is especially true if the songs played are food-themed. Throwing on "Mambo Italiano " can make you feel like you're channeling Primo and Secondo, assembling an elaborate timpano, even if you're just boiling water for Kraft Dinner.

I just came across this massive list of food songs on Wikipedia. I havn't heard of a lot of these, but it's cool to know that so many artists have turned to food for inspiration.When I want to add an aural component to my time in the kitchen, here are some of my favourites:

The aforementioned "Mambo Italiano" (Rosemary Clooney) is a classic. In the same vein falls "Tic Ti, Tic Ta" (Claudio Villa). Both of these songs are on the Big Night soundtrack, which is a great disc to throw on anytime you're making anything remotely Italian.
"Eggs and Sausage" (Tom Waits) is a fantastic Sunday brunch song. Hearing Tom Waits serenade "burgers and fries" is worth the price of admission.
The "Coffee Song" (Frank Sinatra) is an oddity. This entire song was written around the fact that "they've got an awful lot of coffee in Brazil." The hell?
"Chop Suey, Chow Mein" (Louis Prima) is one of my favorites - it's so cute! "Chop suey, chow mein, tofu, and you..." Is that romantic, or what? Listen to this one eating Chinese out of takeout containers with your main squeeze.
"Beans and Cornbread" (Louis Jordan) is that song that Dinner and a Movie on TBS used to use as its theme. This song reminds me of New Orleans, and I love listening to it anytime I'm making Cajun or Southern food. See also: "Jambalaya" (Hank Williams) and "Saturday Night Fish Fry" (Loius Jordan, again).
Hearing Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong sing "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" together is a beautiful thing. Do some people really pronounce oysters, "ersters?"
"Green Onions" (Booker T and the MGs) has been a favorite of mine since I was small. I first came across this song on the American Graffiti soundtrack LP that my parents had, and I would play it over and over. It's still a great tune for cooking to.
I find that the soundtrack to Amelie (Yann Tiersen) is an especially great accompaniment for baking, or fussy French cooking. Don't forget your beret and striped shirt.

This is just a short list of some great music that I like to cook to. Like "beans and cornbread," music and food go hand in hand - adding tunes to any culinary occasion tends to make it a thousand times more satisfying.

Technical Difficulties

2006-07-02T21:54:00.000-04:00

To those who subscribe to this blog - Due to some technical issues, I had to delete my FeedBurner feed and start over. I think this means that subscribers will have to re-subscribe using the link on the sidebar to the right. Sorry for any inconvenience! Hopefully I have fixed everything and the feed will be updated regularly going forward.

EDIT: Looks like re-subscribing may not be necessary after all. Please leave a note in the comments if you have any problems.

Reports of my Demise, Et Cetera

2006-06-30T13:44:00.000-04:00

I seemed to have disappeared for a while there, didn't I? What happened? Well, it turns out that the Stanley Cup Finals are hella distracting when your favourite team is playing, and following said Finals with a move into a new place leaves no time for blogging. Now that we're all settled into our condo, regularly scheduled programming will recommence. Probably.

As anyone who has ever moved knows, it's not so fun. Especially when you're going such a short distance that hiring a moving company is hard to justify. In our case, this short distace was "across the street" and we recruited a group of our wonderful friends in place of movers. While the actual move went surprisingly quickly thanks to everyone's help, the daunting tasks of unpacking and building IKEA furniture took a full five days. I can't imagine how long it would have taken if I did not take the week off of work.

Once everything was finally put away, I decided to break in my beautiful new kitchen with a relatively time- and labour-intensive dish: risotto. Risotto is amazing comfort food: creamy, starchy, cheesy, delicious. It was the perfect choice after several days of heavy lifting, bruises, and extremely sore feet.

For years, I had been meaning to make a summery risotto recipe from my copy of Joy of Cooking: All About Vegetarian. The ingredients: fresh corn, ripe tomatoes, basil, and tart lime juice sounded like they would combine beautifully. However, this recipe requires that a lot of dishes be used, and without a dishwasher I never felt up to the task. Now that we have a dishwasher, I thought that this would be a great recipe to try out the new kitchen with.

Risotto requires a lot of attention - it needs to be stirred almost constantly, as you add a little liquid at a time until you have the perfect consistency: creamy and tender, with each grain of rice still having a slight "bite." The care that goes into risotto makes it hugely rewarding to eat - there's a satisfaction in the fact that this is not a dish that can be "thrown together" Sandra Lee style. This is real hands-on cooking, and it tastes fantastic.

Fresh Corn Risotto with Basil, Tomato, and Lime

1 cup diced seeded peeled ripe tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
5 cups vegetable stock
2 cups corn kernels (use fresh corn if possible)
2 tbps butter
1/2 cup chopped green onions (white part only)
1 and 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
salt & pepper to taste
fresh grated parmesan cheese (use parmigiano reggiano if possible)

1. Combine tomatoes, basil, lime juice, and 1/4 tsp salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Puree 1 cup of the corn kernels in a food processor. Set aside.
3. Bring stock to a simmer in a small pot. Keep this pot of stock simmering for the remainder of the recipe (warm stock needs to be added to the rice as it cooks).
4. Melt butter in a separate large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until foamy. Add green onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
5. Add rice to the large pot and stir to coat the grains in butter. Add the wine to the rice and stir until absorbed. Add 1 cup of the warm stock, and cook, stirring over medium-low heat until the stock is absorbed. Add the remaining stock, 1/2 cup at a time, cooking and stirring until the liquid is almost completely absorbed before adding more, about 15 minutes in all.
6. Stir the pureed corn and 1/2 cup stock into the rice. Continue to cook, stirring and adding stock as needed until the rice is tender but with a slight firmness to the centre of the grain, 5 to 10 minutes more.
7. Stir the corn kernels and tomato mixture into the rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Spoon the risotto into bowls and top with a generous amount of grated parmesan. Dig in.

Serves 4 to 6.

Recipe from Joy of Cooking: All About Vegetarian, by IS Rombauer, M Rombauer Becker,and E Becker

Review: Cool Hand of a Girl

2006-05-29T12:58:00.000-04:00

When you live in a mid-gentrification neighborhood like the Junction, brown paper in storefront windows, "For Rent" signs, or any other indication that a new business is opening are constant sources of nervous anticipation - Will it be something cool, or just another crappy junk shop? A couple of weeks ago, a new cafe opened in the area that definitely fits into the former category, and not by name only.

Cool Hand of a Girl (2804 Dundas Street W) is a new organic cafe located just east of Keele on Dundas; Dave and I headed down there this past weekend to check it out. My first impression was that this coffee shop is really cute: it occupies a small space, and the tables and chairs are a mish-mash of fun retro furniture. The walls are currently bare except for a cool black and white art installation on one wall - I expect more art will be added soon, making the space feel less "plain" than it does now.

Stepping up to the counter to order, Dave and I had a look at the short blackboard menu on the wall. Cool Hand of a Girl serves a small selection of soups, salads, sandwiches, and desserts along with its organic coffees and herbal teas - I decided on the tamari-balsamic baked tofu sandwich, and Dave opted for an avocado, cheddar, and chutney sandwich with a side house salad. We also ordered some of the house-made iced tea - ginger green tea for me, and hibiscus, rosehip, mint tea for Dave.

We grabbed a seat to wait for our food, and sipped at our ice teas. Wow - All I can say is that these were the best tasting glasses of iced tea that I have ever experienced. Perfectly sweetened, each tea was a refreshing blend of complex flavours. Mine had a nice bite from the ginger, and Dave's had a slight fruity flavour that was offset by the soothing mint. I could drink these iced teas all day long.

Once our minds were thoroughly blown by the iced tea, our sandwiches arrived. Served on fresh, lightly- toasted multigrain, mine was host to a huge slab of marinated, baked tofu, fresh greens, tomato, and mayo. The tofu tasted divine, with a slight undertone of cinnamon or allspice, and the mayo provided a perfect creamy foil. Dave agreed that the mayo was "fluffy," with almost a whipped texture, and I suspect that it is house-made. I was in sandwich heaven.

Dave similarly enjoyed his sandwich, and the bite he gave me proved it to be a tasty combo of creamy avocado and sharp cheddar, with a subtle touch of chutney. He also shared his side salad with me, which was amazing and definitely unique. The salad contained a healthy dose of sunflower seeds, fresh herbs, cabbage, shredded carrots, tiny cherry tomatoes, and fresh greens in a beautiful, complicated vinaigrette.

Thoroughly impressed with this new addition to our neighborhood, we decided to try some of the homemade banana cake for dessert. It was kind of dry, but the addition of dates and chocolate chips made for an interesting finish to our meal. While the cake came up a little short, there were lots of other desserts on display for us to try next time we visit.

The service at Cool Hand of a Girl is friendly and very attentive for a place where you order at the counter - two glasses of water with lemons were brought out with our dessert, without us having to ask for them. Currently, this cafe does not serve breakfast or dinner (they close at 4), but I hope they expand their menu soon - I'd love to see what tasty and imaginitive dishes they'd come up with. I highly recommend Cool Hand of Girl, and I can only hope that it's an indication of things to come in the Junction.

9 farm trucks out of 10

Heck Yes!

2006-05-28T09:38:00.000-04:00

Go Oil!

*Thanks to Ladysir for the hot fu manchu pennant.
It will serve me well during the effing Stanley Cup Finals.

A Tale of Two Tuna Melts (and a Recipe)

2006-05-26T17:52:00.000-04:00

As a child, I hated tuna. So. Much. I was not a fan of seafood in general, but tuna was always the absolute worst. My mom's attempts to make it appealing were usually followed by a refusal to eat, tears, and sometimes screaming. Needless to say, tuna was not served very often.

Last year I decided to end a 9 year hiatus from meat by adding seafood to my diet. With Dave coaching me through some delicious halibut- and prawn-centric meals, my childhood seafood hatred was quickly converted to an appreciation for les fruits de la mer. However, I still clung to the belief that tuna was up to no good, and refused to give in to its evil ways.

Eventually, I found myself at Subway with Dave and he convinced me to try a bite of his tuna sub. It was...yummy! I was amazed that its flavour no longer induced tantrums, and proceeded to eat half of Dave's sandwich. Tuna-phobia conquered!

Since then, I have found myself turning to tuna regularly because it's so versatile. My parents gave me a great cookbook for Christmas that is indispensible in this regard: Joie Warner's Take a Tin of Tuna - this book has loads of great tuna recipes, from breakfasts to sandwiches to entrees. Who knew canned tuna could do so much?

One of my favorite things since "discovering" tuna has been tuna melts. This past month, I tried the tuna melts at two different Toronto restaurants. The first was at the Duke of York - Paul, Alex, Dave, and I headed there for some grub after seeing "Art School Confidential" a few weeks ago. The tuna melt was heralded as being served on a "pretzel bun" on the menu, which is what convinced me to order it.

When my meal arrived, I found that all of the tuna was on only one half of the pretzel-shaped bun. I put some yellow mustard on the other half, and squished the two together like a sandwich. The pretzel bun was lightly toasted, which was a nice touch, and had a definite chewy pretzely texture. The tuna was kind of plain, combined only with mayo, but the cheddar cheese on top was nicely melted and had lots of flavour. The sandwich was rounded out with some tomato and red onion, and was served with a good portion of amazing french fries - perfectly crisp on the outside, and fluffy (they seemed almost hollow) on the inside. I would definitely order another tuna melt at the Duke of York.

The second tuna melt I had this month was at Mel's Montreal Delicatessen. It was served open-faced on untoasted rye bread, and had some red onion mixed in with the tuna and mayo. The cheddar cheese on top was nice and melty, but I really wish the bread had been toasted before the tuna was added - it was a touch soggy. The fries served with the melt were pretty standard. Mel's makes an okay tuna melt - it's definitely comfort food - but there is room for improvement.

On the heels of these two experiences, I decided to make my own tuna melt version at home. I picked up some fresh Ace Bakery focaccia buns from the grocery store, as well as some artichoke hearts, lemons, and goat cheese with the aim of making a tangy dish. I also threw in some fresh parsley to add a sharp herby bite and some red onion, which always pairs nicely with tuna and adds some crunchy texture.

This recipe is really easy to make, and got two thumbs up from Dave. Toasting the buns before adding the tuna is a critical step, so warm up your broiler and bust out the can opener!

Goat Cheese and Artichoke Heart Tuna Melt

1 can solid tuna in water, drained and rinsed
1/2 of a small jar marinated artichoke hearts, coarsley chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
2 tbsp chopped fresh italian parsley
1/2 tsp dried oregano
3 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 crusty buns (calabrese works well), halved
a little butter or margarine
3 oz goat cheese
salt & pepper to taste

1. Gently combine tuna, artichoke hearts, onion, parsley, oregano, lemon juice, and mayo in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Spread a small amount of butter or margarine on each bun half, and place onto a baking sheet, cut-side up. Put the baking sheet under the broiler just until the buns begin to brown.
3. Remove the buns from the oven, and spoon 1/4 of the tuna mixture onto each half. Crumble the goat cheese over the tuna, and return the baking sheet to the oven. Broil until goat cheese begins to brown slightly.
4. Remove the melts from the oven, grind some fresh pepper on top, and serve immediately.

(this recipe serves two)

Impromptu Baked Ziti

2006-05-22T17:45:00.000-04:00

To celebrate our friend Paul's birthday this past weekend, Dave and I decided to have a few people over for dinner. Somehow (read: while distracted by the Oilers' improbable playoff run), we managed to leave the small problem of deciding what to serve until the last possible minute. Damn you, Roloson, and your shiny, shiny mask!

So, with four hours until our guests were set to arrive, we decided to serve some sort of baked pasta dish - the quicker and easier, the better. Although I had no prior experience with Baked Ziti, I had a feeling that it would be pretty simple to throw together. This suspicion was confirmed with a quick look at a few recipes, summarized thusly: throw pasta in a pan with meat and sauce (and sometimes ricotta), smother with cheese and bake until yummy.

I decided to use my standby Smoky Marinara Sauce recipe (originally from Cooking Light magazine), but add spinach for a change. I thought ricotta would be a nice touch, so I threw it in with some fresh herbs. Since Paul is a meat-eater, but I'm not, I added spicy sausage to one ziti, and roasted zucchini to the other. With caesar salad and garlic bread, we were set!

Despite the thrown-together nature of this meal, it turned out great. This recipe makes a tonne of food, but it can be easily frozen so you have a prepared dish next time you're entertaining unexpectedly (or expectedly, if you're a procrastinator like me). This recipe may also be halved if you aren't feeding an army, and you don't need a buttload of pasta in your freezer. Enjoy!

Baked Ziti
2 lbs dry ziti pasta
475 g container of light ricotta
2 tbsp chopped italian parsley
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup grated fresh parmesan
3 1/2 cups grated mozarella
6 spicy italian sausages (or 4 medium zucchinis*)
1 batch smoky spinach marinara (recipe follows)
salt & pepper to taste

1.Grease two 9x13 inch baking pans and preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Make smoky spinach marinara sauce. Set aside until ready to use.
3. Saute sausages until cooked through. Remove sausages from pan and slice into rounds. Set aside until ready to use.
*To make a vegetarian version of this ziti, slice zucchinis into rounds 1/4 inch thich. Toss slices with a small amount of olive oil and salt/pepper, and roast on a baking sheet in a 450 degree oven for about 10 minutes (until they start to brown). Set aside until ready to use.
4. Mix together the ricotta, parsley, basil, 1/4 cup parmesan, and 1/2 cup mozarella in small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until ready to use.
5. Boil the pasta in lots of salted water until al dente. Drain well.
6. These instructions are to assemble one of the zitis - repeat these instructions in the second pan once the first has been assembled: Cover the bottom of the baking pan with a small amount of marinara sauce. Place 1/4 of the cooked pasta into the pan, on top of the sauce. Dot the pasta with 1/2 of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella over the ricotta. On top of the ricotta and mozarella, spread 1/2 of the sausage (or zucchini). Place 1/4 of the cooked pasta on top of the sausage/zucchini, and cover the pasta with about 1/2 of the remaining marinara. Finish the pan with 1/4 cup parmesan and 1 cup mozarella.
7. Optional: At this point, you may want to freeze one (or both) of the zitis. To do so, cover the baking pan in plastic wrap and then tin foil. Freeze on a flat surface to avoid a huge mess. Once you are ready to bake your frozen ziti, let it completely defrost in the fridge overnight before proceeding to step #8.
8. Toss your ziti into the 375 degree oven, uncovered, and bake for about 30-40 minutes, until the cheese on top gets nice and golden (previously frozen ziti may need a little longer). Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Each pan will feed about 6 people (this recipe feeds 12 total).

Smoky Marinara Sauce with Spinach
1 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp chopped fresh italian parsley
4 cups chopped spinach leaves
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
28 oz can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes (I use Muir Glen brand, found in the organic section of the supermarket)
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until it begins to turn golden.
2. Pour both cans of tomatoes into saucepan. Add water, parsley, basil, oregano, vinegar, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. Add spinach to sauce and stir to combine. Cook just until spinach wilts, and then remove from heat.

This sauce is very versatile, and is great on all kinds of pasta dishes.

Eating Ottawa

2006-05-18T10:16:00.000-04:00

While Dave and my dad went fishing up North this past weekend, my mom and I headed to Canada's capital city to check out its main attractions: tulips, museums, and political bureaucracy. While each of these were in ample supply, I was pleased to discover that Ottawa also sports a great selection of quality restaurants. Not to mention a giant baby head (more on that later).

We arrived in Ottawa late Thursday night and quickly crashed in our beds. Waking up the next morning, we were greeted by pouring rain and strong winds outside. Fantastic! We armed ourselves with a raincoat (mom) and an umbrella (me), and braved the weather to walk to a nearby place that had been recommended to me for breakfast: The Scone Witch.

The Scone Witch (388 Albert St) is located inside of an old house in downtown Ottawa. Stepping inside, we were immediately hit with the delicious smell of fresh-baked scones. The space is not large, with only 5 tables or so, and its cosiness was enhanced by the blustery weather outside. We headed toward the back to have a look at the chalk-board menu.

Going beyond scones with butter or jam, the Scone Witch also serves a number of breakfast and lunch sandwiches ("sconewitches"), larger meals ("mealwitches"), and brunch on the weekends. All menu items are made on, or accompanied by, scones of course. I opted for a Cheezy Eggwitch on a herb 'n' onion scone, while my mom ordered an herb n' onion scone with cheese and bacon.

After seating ourselves near the large front window, our breakfasts arrived without delay. My Cheezy Eggwitch was presented beautifully, with the tall, flaky scone overflowing with fluffy scrambled eggs surrounded by some mixed greens and fresh fruit in a light honey-mustard dressing. My mom's dish, a halved scone smothered in white cheddar cheese and crisp slices of bacon, was also served with greens and fruit. We quickly attacked.

The Eggwitch was delicious - shredded white cheddar mixed in with light-as-air eggs, all grounded by the flavourful savoury scone. My mom similarly enjoyed her breakfast, and we both cleaned our plates. The Scone Witch was, by far, my favourite find in Ottawa - I highly recommend it.

With a warm breakfast in our bellies, my mom and I again set out into the rain and headed toward the parliament buildings. While the buildings are beautiful and all, my main motivation for checking out parliament hill was the "cat parliament" that Dave had told me about. In the 1970s, this miniature cat sanctuary was established by Irene Desormeaux to house and feed stray cats in the area. Unfortunately, the crappy weather kept the cats inside on the day that we visited, and the only wildlife to be seen was a couple of squirrels eating all of the cat food.

Feeling extra-soggy, we continued our walk toward Byward Market so that we could meet one of my mom's college friends for lunch. I was a little dissapointed in Byward Market - I was expecting something like Kensington but, in actuality, the market is extremely "yuppie." After exploring for a while, we headed into Wasabi for lunch.

The decor in Wasabi (41 Clarence St) is soothing, with a soft yellow on the walls and dim lighting. Our attentive and extremely friendly waitress quickly brought us some warm green tea, which really hit the spot on this rainy day. After my mom's friend Heather had joined us, we dove into the long menu.

Wasabi has an extensive selection of the usual Japanese offerings (sushi, maki, udon, etc.), and a nice array of well-priced lunch specials. I was craving maki, so I ordered a shrimp tempura roll and a couple of pieces of tamago (egg) sushi. My mom ordered an udon lunch special with tempura shrimp, and Heather a beef teriyaki bento box.

After a brief wait and a couple of tea refills, our food arrived. My inside-out roll was stuffed with tempura shrimp, avocado, very thinly julienned cucmber, and mayo. The tamago was presented as a generous slice of omelet on a small amount of rice. The maki was smaller and sliced more thinly than I'm used to, but tasted delicious. The tamago was sweet with a great texture. My only regret was that I hadn't ordered more maki, considering the small size of the roll.

My mom's soup came in a huge bowl (more than she could eat), with plenty of vegetables, udon, and fishcakes in a flavourful broth. The soup was served with shrimp tempura on the side, in a perfectly crispy and extremely light batter, as well as a small side salad in a sesame-ginger dressing that was one of the best I've had in a Japanese restaurant. Heather also raved about her beef teriyaki.

Although their rolls are on the small side, the service and food quality at Wasabi definitely makes up for it. This place is worth checking out.

Once we had finished lunch, we said goodbye to Heather and decided to hoof it to the National Art Gallery. I love art galleries, and this one did not dissapoint. It has a great selection of Canadian artists' works, as well as a large contemporary gallery that contains a lot of beautiful pieces. This is where we came across the giant baby head, which looked extremely realistic despite being over ten feet tall. Creepy.

Once we were finished at the gallery, we headed back into the market to grab some dinner and find a pub where we could watch the Oilers game. After some indecision and much walking, we settled on Indian food at Haveli for dinner.

Haveli (39 Clarence St) is decorated as most other higher-end Indian restaurants are, with a prevalance of fabrics and ornate woodwork. A unique element of this restaurant is the tandoor room, which is surrounded by glass so that you can watch things like naan be cooked in the tandoor while you eat. My mom and I were seated near to the tandoor, and it was fun to get this behind-the-scenes show.

After a quick perusal of the large menu, we decided on Jheenga Tandoori (tandoori garlic shrimp), Kabli Channa (chickpeas), basmati rice, naan, and raita to cool things down. We sipped on Kingfisher beer while we waited for our food.

The restaurant was quite packed, so I wasn't surprised that our food took a while to arrive. However, I was surprised that they completely forgot our naan. It took us nearly 15 minutes to flag down our waiter, who then only brought out one peice of naan for us (we had ordered two).

Despite this setback, the food was delicious. The shrimp had a tangy, garlicky flavour that was matched well with the charred taste from the tandoor. The channa was extremely flavourful and spiced nicely. The naan, once it arrived, was hot from the tanoor and perfectly crisp on the outside while fluffy on the inside. It was some of the best naan I've had.

The portions at Haveli are generous, and we could not finish all of our food. Once we were stuffed, we ran into yet another problem with the service as our waiter would not stop by to give us the bill (we had not seen him since he dropped off the naan - we had not had a water refill all night). I will never understand restaurants that will not give you your bill once you finish eating. Do they want you to move in? We noticed that the girls at the table next to us had a similar problem when they actually had to put on their jackets and stand beside the table before the waitress would bring them their bill. What the hell?

While the food at Haveli is great, the service is atrocious. I would not recommend this restaurant on this basis alone. I'm sure that Ottawa has other Indian restaurants that are just as tasty, but actually show some courtesy toward their customers.

After we had escaped Haveli, we ran down the block (it had begun raining hard again) to the Heart and Crown pub to watch the Oilers punch San Jose in the junk. Not surprisingly, the game was on with no sound and pints were overpriced. Even worse, an agressively mediocre nouveau-Celtic band (think Great Big Sea) started their set halfway through the second period. The only thing that kept me from leaving when they started to massacre "Ring of Fire" was Samsonov's beauty penalty box breakaway. GO OIL!

The next morning, we woke up to no rain and a lot of wind. After breakfast at the Scone Witch (this time, I picked up a half-dozen to take back to TO with me - yum!), we took a cab over the river to Hull so that we could check out the Museum of Civilization. This attraction dissapointed both of us, as it was not so much a museum of civilization as it was a museum of Canadian history. However, we both found the exhibition on Petra interesting.

Following the museum, we battled the wind on our way back over the bridge to Ottawa and headed up Rideau to one of my mom's old haunts, Nate's Delicatessen.

Nate's (316 Rideau St) specializes in smoked meat, and the first thing that you encounter when you enter the place is a large deli area where you can buy salads, smoked meat, and other prepared foods. If you head past the deli, you come upon a large seating area that is straight out of the '70s. We sat ourselves in a booth near the front window, and were promptly brought menus and drinks by our friendly waiter.

The menu at Nate's is surprisingly large, with a good selection of sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, smoked fish, and other deli fare. My mom ordered a smoked meat platter, and I went for the veggie dog platter with sauerkraut (our waiter: "What's sauerkraut?" - pause - "A pissed off nazi." *rimshot*).

Our food came quickly, and my hot dog was nicely charred on the outside (just the way I like it). It came with french fries, a pickle, and a curiously green coleslaw with a sweet vinegar dressing. The sauerkraut was served on the side, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it had been warmed up for me. My mom's smoked meat sandwich also came with coleslaw, a pickle, and fries.

After piling the sauerkraut on my dog and smothering it in mustard, I dug in. The hot dog was nicely cooked, and the bun had been toasted perfectly - yum! The fries were alright, if pretty standard, and the coleslaw was tasty. It was nice to be served coleslaw that wasn't 80% mayonnaise. My mom also deemed her smoked meat sandwich "delicious." Nate's was a great place to have lunch, and I would definitely go there again.

After Nate's, we headed back into Byward Market to catch the Lucky Ron show at Chateau Lafayette. Surrounded by Lucky Ron fans drinking out of giant bottles of beer, this show was another highlight of the trip. We had a blast.

After the show, we walked downtown to catch a movie at one of the few cinemas in Ottawa proper. We saw "Thank you for Smoking," which was hilarious, and then headed back to the hotel to order a pizza. We decided on Pavarazzi Pizza based on its "Best in Ottawa" stamp in the Yellow Pages.

The menu for Pavarazzi (491 Somerset West) features a selection of "gourmet" pizzas, as well as the usual traditional and "build your own" pizzas, pasta, salads, and panzerotti. The gourmet pizza selection has a lot of very tempting offerings, and we finally decided on a large "Love of Cheese" pizza (basil pesto, four cheeses, red onion, and chopped tomato) on a herb crust, with spicy sauce.

It took a while for the pizza to arrive (about an hour), and we watched the Sens buy the farm in the meantime. Fortunately, the pie was still piping hot when it arrived at our hotel room. Biting into my first slice, I found that the basil pesto mixed beautifully with the spicy tomato sauce (which did have some kick), and the crust was soft and delicious (nothing at all like Pizza Pizza). The cheese was plentiful and gooey, and the tomato and onion cut the richness nicely. This pizza was fantastic.

The prices are a little higher than your usual pizza place, but this is definitely a case where you are paying for higher quality. Despite the slow delivery, I would absolutely recommend Pavarazzi.

The next morning, Dave and my Dad picked us up at the hotel and we headed to Manx Pub for brunch. After a fifteen-minute wait in line, we were seated at one of the few tables in this small, cosy spot. The brunch menu at the Manx (370 Elgin St) is relatively small, but offers several unique dishes alongside eggs benedict and the usual eggs-and-bacon breakfast. After receiving our drinks (they serve fresh juice here - my mom ordered a strawberry, orange, banana mixture that was great), we ordered spicy curry tofu scramble for me, eggs benedict for my mom, goat cheese, artichoke, and roasted red pepper omelet for Dave, and eggs and bacon for my dad. Our food did not take too long to arrive, despite how busy the place was, and our server brought along some of the house hot sauce for us to try.

My curry tofu scramble was tucked inside of a grilled tortilla along with some fresh veggies (peppers, zucchini, tomato, and mushrooms), was covered in the house hot sauce (a green sauce that is not too spicy), and accompanied by a mound of lumpy mashed potatoes. The scramble was fantastic - lots of curry flavour - and the hot sauce added a nice touch of heat. The potatoes (which come with almost all brunch dishes) had a nice creamy-lumpy contrast going on, and were really tasty. Dave's omelet was absolutely stuffed with goat cheese - the Manx does not serve small portions. Dave, my dad, and my mom all thoroughly enjoyed their brunches as well, and we were full for nearly the entire trip back to TO.

Long story short: Ottawa is delicious.

Recipe for Disaster: Ham-and-Egg Towers

2006-05-03T20:31:00.000-04:00

This beauty comes from the Soup and Sandwiches Cookbook put out by Family Circle magazine in 1972. Whoever first came up with the idea to make a sandwich look like a cake is an effing evil genius. Can you imagine your surprise as you bite into a slice of angel-food, only to find that it tastes like mayonnaisey ham and egg salad? The Family Circle caption to the above photo reads, "Reward the first person who realizes that Ham-and-Egg Towers is not angel food cake, but a delicious combination of ham and egg between white bread slices." I think that this "reward" would be met with a punch in the face.

I like that the recipe includes instructions on how to make "dill-pickle wheels." In the '70s, garnish was everything - no matter how vile the dish, the inclusion of a radish rose meant it was the height of culinary fashion. I think the aim here is to enhance the sandwich's cake disguise, along with the cream cheese-parsley "icing." This is the Fletch of sandwiches.

When Dave and I went to Sweden last year we learned that this horror is fairly commonplace in Scandinavia. In fact, we spotted the elusive beast on a buffet table near Goteborg, but neither of us were brave enough to try it. Here's the recipe, so you can avoid trying it too.

Ham-and-Egg Towers

6 hard-cooked eggs, shelled and chopped
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup ground cooked ham
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
6 tbsp light cream
12 slices round white bread
1/2 cup chopped parsley

1. Mix chopped eggs, celery, mayo, mustard, and salt in a bowl.
2. Blend ground ham, half of one package of cream cheese, and 1 tablespoon of the cream until smooth in a small bowl. Place remaining cream cheese and cream in a separate bowl; set aside for step 4.
3. Spread egg-salad mixture on 6 slices of the bread, and ham on 4 slices. Stack slices, alternating egg with ham, in 2 piles of 5 each; top with remaining bread slices.
4. Blend cream cheese and cream in bowl until smooth. Spread mixture over each sandwich stack to frost completely. Pat parsley on tops and sides to cover. Chill several hours.
5. When ready to serve, cut each stack into quarters with a very sharp knife. garnish with dill-pickle wheels and serve with radish roses. To make dill-pickle wheels, shave thin strips from medium sized dill pickles with a vegetable parer. Roll strips, then bunch 3 together; wrap another strip around all to hold them in place.

Serves 8 sad cowpokes

All Tarted Up

2006-04-24T22:36:00.000-04:00

I learned this weekend that the road to tasty sweets is paved with puddles, grandmas, and cheap lamps. Waking up hungover this Saturday was made even more difficult when I heard the rain against my window - I was scheduled to get together with some lady friends to go garage sale-ing, and it was pouring outside. After downing some Tylenol and grabbing an umbrella, I shuffled down to the local cafe where we had agreed to meet.

Once the four of us had assembled, we set out into the "rain" (which was more of a mist, rendering our umbrellas essentially useless), in search of some sweet deals. After a bit of a hike in the residential area north of High Park, we happened upon a soggy garage sale sign. We located the address, and found a pile of your typical garage sale "junk" on the front porch with no purveyor in sight. Browsing through some squirrel-themed hooked rugs, we were eventually joined on the porch by the owner, an elderly lady who seemed surprised to see us despite the numerous sale signs posted in the neighborhood. After some disjointed "conversation," she led us back to the garage.

There was not much of interest in the car-hole, with the exception of a punch bowl set with a crazy retro etched design, and a floor-to-ceiling vintage lamp. With the benefit of little-old-lady pricing, the 6 glasses from the punch set and the lamp came to a grand total of six dollars ("Is that too much?" she asked us). Score!

Packing around a nine-foot lamp in the rain, and finding another promising garage sale shut down already, we decided to call it a day. By that point, we had wandered down to Roncesvalles and we were hungry for something warm and comforting. A delicious plate of perogies at Staropolska fit the bill, but left us with a collective sweet tooth. Luckily, Queen of Tarts was just down the block.

As you step into Queen of Tarts, the first thing you notice is the incredible smell of baked goods. Despite being full of potato dumplings, my mouth started to water immediately. A display case greets you at the door, filled with a variety of (surprise!) tarts. The description for the Snickers Tart (peanuts, caramel, peanut butter mousse, and dark chocolate ganache) sounds amazing, but my attention is quickly drawn to the rows and rows of gingerbread man cookies on the right wall. Each is exquisitely decorated to look like different characters, from Saddam Hussein to Darth Vader to Jesus. While these make fantastic novelty gifts, they do not come cheap ($6 for a cookie!?) - nevertheless, I was suckered in and bought Dave a Bubbles from the Trailer Park Boys (pictured above). I also picked up a bag of chocolate cheesecake cookies to share, and some chocolate-covered homemade rasberry marshmallows. The shop carries a large variety of cookies, marshmallows, cakes, and tarts in addition to some great-looking loaves of bread. All are extremely high quality and, despite the expensive gingerbread, fairly reasonably priced considering.

After making our purchases, we headed back to the dry warmth of my apartment, copies of Hackers and Empire Records in tow (not to mention the lamp). Settling in to watch Angelina Jolie on rollerblades, gushing about her 28.8 kbps modem, we dug in to our Queen of Tarts finds. As we sampled melt-in-your-mouth coconut marshmallows, creamy chocolate cheesecake cookies, and spicy gingerbread bites, it was clear that there is nothing better than warm tea, delicious baked goods, and Jonny Lee Miller after a walk in the cold rain.

Salad Pizza

2006-04-20T21:34:00.000-04:00

A few years ago in Vegas, I came across Salad Pizza for my first time. It was on the menu of some restaurant that I can't recall the name of, and I remember thinking how weird it sounded. Of course I had to order it.

The Salad Pizza was great! It was basically a garden salad with balsamic dressing piled onto a warm pizza crust, with shaved parmesan on top. Simple, light, and very flavourful. Once I got home, I began playing around with the recipe and eventually came up with this version, which is my favorite. It's super easy to make, so have at 'er!

Salad Pizza

1 pre-made pizza crust (I prefer the "cheesy" kind)
4oz. package of plain goat cheese
2 tsp. olive oil (use flavoured oil if you have it!)
1 bag of mixed salad greens
1 tomato, seeded and coarsely chopped
salad dressing, to taste (see recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. While the oven preheats, brush the top surface of the pizza crust with olive oil, and crumble the goat cheese on top.
2. Throw the goat cheese-topped pizza crust into the oven, directly on the oven rack. Bake it for about 10 minutes, until the crust begins to brown and the goat cheese gets nice and warm.
3. In the meantime, toss the greens and chopped tomato with the salad dressing, to taste.
4. When the pizza crust comes out of the oven, pile the dressed greens on top. Grind some fresh pepper on top, slice the pizza, and dig in!

Honey Balsamic Dressing

2 tsp. dijon mustard (honey dijon or grainy works well too)
2 tsp. honey
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Whisk together mustard, honey and vinegar in a bowl (or use a jar with a good seal, and shake the mixture up). Slowly stream in olive oil while you continue to whisk, until well combined (if using the jar method, add a little olive oil at a time, shaking thoroughly after each addition).

Review: Butler's Pantry

2006-04-17T18:39:00.000-04:00

On Friday, a bunch of us went out to celebrate the long weekend, and our friend Jeremy's visit from Edmonton. Our original plan was to hit Sushi on Bloor for dinner but, despite making reservations, there seemed to be a long wait. Add to that an amazingly disorganized and unhelpful hostess, and we were out the door.

After some discussion, we settled on the Butler's Pantry on Markham as a back-up plan. The first thing I noticed as we stepped into the restaurant was its super-cosy atmosphere. Although the space is not small, the prevalence of dark wood and local art on the walls gives it a comfortable, warm character. After we were seated, our delightful waitress promptly brought us a round of surprisingly cheap ($4.50) pints.

The menu at Butler's Pantry is quite extensive and varied, offering bulgogi alongside lasagna and moussaka. Everything is very modestly priced. Eventually, I settled on the Zucchini Pancake, while Dave ordered Khowsway, a Burmese chicken and noodle dish. While we waited for our food, we enjoyed the alt-country and indie-pop playing on the stereo system. And the beer.

My zucchini pancake turned out to be something like a large latke, and was served with a caesar salad. It was hugely comforting and filling, without being greasy, and the soy dipping sauce served with it added a nice salty kick. Dave enjoyed his Khowsway, proclaiming it to have a nice flavour that he hadn't tasted before. Those around the table that received a garden salad also mentioned that the house dressing was fantastic.

Following our meal, Dave and I couldn't resist the Easter chocolate cake in the restaurant's display case, and we ordered a piece to share. The cake was nice and moist, with not-too-sweet chocolate icing or ganache between its layers, and was accompanied by a mound of real whipped cream and a white-chocolate hollow "egg." We fought over the last forkful.

Completely sated, we paid the bill and headed next door to the Victory Cafe to continue our evening. The combination of great service and tasty eats at Butler's Pantry made for a satisfying experience. This is comfort food at its best.

7 Clydesdales out of 10

Noodles!

2006-04-12T14:15:00.000-04:00

Before moving to Toronto was even an option, its popular vegetarian restaurant Juice for Life was already on my radar screen. I'm a complete sucker for cookbooks that are put out by restaurants, so when I came across Fresh at Home on Amazon a couple of years ago, I quickly snatched it up. Since then, this has become my go-to cookbook for salads, rice bowls, and noodle dishes - I really can't say enough positive things about it (for a complete review, click here).

I later picked up the original Juice for Life cookbook, which is more focused on juice, but also contains some more yummy rice bowl and noodle recipes. I was hooked - when we decided to move, I was sure that Fresh was going to be my favorite restaurant in our new home.

Sadly, this isn't the case. While the eat-in experience at Fresh is far from bad, the cramped, noisy atmosphere definitely takes away from the great food. Also, it's tough to shell out 17 bucks after tax and tip for a rice bowl, when you have the exact recipe sitting right at home (and fewer elbows to contend with at your own kitchen table). For these reasons, I tend to stick to the cookbooks when I need a Fresh fix.

I made the noodle dish pictured above the other night, slightly adapting a recipe from Juice for Life. It turned out great, with a little heat added using the Ming Room hot sauce I bought a while back. This recipe makes enough for two.

khao san soba

1/2 cup cashew pieces
4 cups cooked soba noodles
1 batch green dressing (see below)
1 head broccoli, chopped
1 cup grated carrots

1. toast the cashews in a 350 degree oven until they begin to brown
2. heat the soba noodles, cashews, and green dressing in a pan over medium heat until heated through (about 5 minutes)
3. steam the broccoli separately in a vegetable steamer or shallow pan of water
4. divide the noodles onto 2 plates or shallow bowls. arrange the broccoli around the perimeters, and pile the grated carrots on top
5. dig in!

green dressing

2 large cloves garlic
2 tsp. peeled and chopped ginger root
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tsp powdered wasabi
2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp sambal oelek (or Ming Room hot sauce)

1. throw the garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, cilantro, and water into a food processor or blender. process until smooth.
2. add remaining ingredients with the processor still running. remove when completely liquefied.

The Best Frozen Pizza in the East

2006-04-11T20:39:00.000-04:00

Recently, I discovered President's Choice Chicago-Style Deep Dish pizza, which is probably the best frozen pizza I've ever had. It comes in two varieties - Spinach and 3 Cheese (pictured), or Sausage and Pepperoni - and bakes up with a crispy, almost pie-like crust, gooey cheese, and lots of sauce. The best part? It's only 7 bucks at No Frills. I only found this treasure after we moved to Toronto because PC products are much more prevalent here - my old standby in Edmonton, Safeway, was all about the Western Family brand.

So, if you're sick of flavourless frozen pizza but like the convenience of this "food of the future," check out your local Loblaw's or No Frills. In Edmonton, you might be able to find it at Superstore.

No, I don't work for Loblaw Companies Limited. Why do you ask?

Canned Love

2006-04-09T11:37:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, I came across this beauty in the Niagara Falls Value Village. At first glance, it seemed much less interesting than the stack of New Kids on the Block videotapes a few shelves over. Then the white gelatin mold in the lower right corner caught my eye - "Are those cucumbers on top?" I thought. "And what the hell is with the shiny meat curls on the side?"

Flipping to the recipe in question, I find that this monstrosity is called "Cottage Cheese-Cucumber Salad" and is composed of lemon-flavoured gelatin, grated onion, cottage cheese, and chopped cucumber. That does it. I have to buy this book.

One dollar and a strange look from the cashier later, I have some new reading material for our trip back to Toronto. It quickly becomes apparent that "fast" was a synonym for "canned" in 1974, as nearly every recipe calls for a can of this or that. Case in point:

"Shrimp-Macaroni Casserole." This "pantry-shelf special" contains Kraft Dinner, 2 cans of shrimp, one can of condensed cream of chicken soup, and a handful of demolished Chex cereal. Delish!

If you have ever wondered what a meatball volcano would look like, your prayers have been answered:

Titled simply "Confetti Meatball Supper," this dish is another canned wonder, containing cans of meatballs, cheddar cheese soup, mixed vegetables, and chopped pimento. The sub-head for this recipe warns "Keep canned meatballs on hand for this dish" - in case of what, exactly? Unexpected guests that you secretly hate?

When I showed the following picture to Dave, he summed it up nicely with "Oh, God."

While the recipe itself is rather innocuous - basic tuna salad with some curry powder, stuffed into tomatoes - the final product bears an uncanny resemblance to the egg pods in Alien. Perhaps H.R Giger was inspired by his After Work Cookbook. After all, these tomato cups' structural perfection is matched only by their hostility.

I love the "Frank-Kraut Dinner"

Who knew hot dogs (er, "franks," as they were called in the '70s) could look so appetizing laying on a delicious bed of saurkraut and condensed cheddar cheese soup (both canned, of course)? There are no less than 8 "time-saving" recipes in this cookbook that have hot dogs as the main ingredient. Oscar Mayer - Helping sisters do it for themselves since 1883.

By far, the most stomach-turning photo in this book is for this "Entertaining Special"

I'm not sure what the photographer was going for with the "futuristic" setting, but the S.S. Discovery vibe does nothing to disguise the vomit-coloured abomination that is the "Sweet-Sour Chicken Mold." Containing powdered sour cream sauce, lemon gelatin, dill, green pepper, cucumber, carrot, and canned chicken, I cannot even begin to imagine what this thing tastes like. The book describes it as having "distinctive flavours," which I'd wager is a polite way of saying that it tastes like ass.

I told Dave that I should exclusively make recipes from the After Work Cookbook next time that we have guests over for dinner. So, who's free next weekend?

Review: Ming Room

2006-04-06T09:23:00.000-04:00

A couple of weekends ago, Dave and I ventured out to Mississauga to meet our suburb-bound friends Cathy and Paul for dinner. This was my first trip out to the 'Saug which, it turns out, is made up entirely of apartment buildings, condos, and houses. This is a city that is extremely functional in its role as a suburb (housing commuters), but does not have a real downtown core - very surprising, for its size. Before meeting Cathy and Paul, we killed some time at "Ontario's Largest Mall," Square One, which was exactly as you would expect (read: soul-sucking).

On to the food. It had been decided previously that we were going to try a new (for us) type of cuisine, Hakka, which is often described as a cross between Chinese and Indian. Most of the Hakka restaurants in Toronto are concentrated in Scarborough or Mississauga, so we opted to try Ming Room (6461 Mississauga Road) based on its proximity to Cathy and Paul's place. On the way to the restaurant, we passed through "Old Mississauga," which is very cute and seems to have a lot more personality than the rest of the city.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, we had to wait a few minutes for a table. There is not a huge amount of atmosphere to this place, with the decor mostly limited to a few Chinese lanterns and a couple of generic pieces of art on the wall. Once seated, I was pleased to find that the placemats were of the Chinese Zodiac variety (kitchy!). There were some corn chips (?) on the table, which we snacked on. Looking back, they were probably for putting on top of our food. There was also a container of Sambal Oelek-looking hot sauce with some garlic included, which smelled great.

Looking at the extensive menu, we could see the fusion of Chinese and Indian elements. The appetizer list contained both pakoras and wontons, and paneer dishes could be found alongside your typical sweet n' sour chicken. After some discussion, we decided on shrimp pakoras to start, followed by prawns in Hakka chili sauce, paneer in Manchurian sauce, hunan chicken, mixed vegetables, and steamed rice.

The pakoras arrived promptly, and came with a sweet dipping sauce. They tasted great, with some spice, and weren't too greasy. We polished them off quickly, and our mains came soon thereafter.

Digging in, we found that the chili prawns and Manchurian paneer really had some kick. A few bites in, all of us were sweating and reaching for the water (which was frequently refilled by our attentive server). While the chili prawns offered little more than heat in terms of flavour, the Manchurian paneer had a nice savoury-sweet element to it. Although it was a little too salty, all of us agreed that the paneer was our favourite dish. The mixed vegetables were tasty, if uninspired, and the poultry-eaters informed me that the chicken was okay, but overpoweringly sweet.

Dinner for four with tax and tip (no alcoholic beverages) came out to about $70. On my way out, I bought a container of the house-made garlicky sambal-like sauce to take home. Overall, we found Ming Room to be a neat experience, but we would not rush back.

6 rodeo clowns out of 10

Howdy!

2006-04-03T22:37:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my new weblog! Moving from Edmonton to Toronto last year has left me with a whole new city's worth of food to explore, and I'm going to use this space to document my adventures. Although much of my focus will be on Toronto and all it has to offer, I will also be including my thoughts on restaurants in other cities, recipes, food photography, cookbooks, travel, and so on - check back regularly for new content.