Petrozilia

BEST SOUP IN TORONTO

2010-01-20T10:46:00.000-08:00

Left-Over Braised Brisket Sammy

2009-12-21T11:25:00.000-08:00

On Jewish holidays, we don't have turkey and cranberry sauce. But people have been known to ohh and ahh when the Brisket is pulled out of the oven. In my family, like all proper Jews, we always end up with far too much food, so I have created a riff on that OTHER holiday sandwich.
To Make the Brisket
2-pound brisket
2 tbs all-spice
1 tbs cumin
.5 tsp ground cardamom
.4 tsp ground ginger
2 large white onions, chopped
4 medium carrots, cut into 1"-thick half moons
4 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 whole garlic cloves
.5 cup red wine you would drink
2 cups chicken, beef or veg stock
2 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Season meat with salt and pepper. Mix all the spices together and give your meat a dry rub (this should ideally be done the night before). Make sure to really massage the meat, working the spice blend all over. Heat the olive oil in your dutch oven until the oil is shimmering. Brown the brisket on all sides, which helps to lock the flavor. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add the rest of your veggies until soft and then add red wine to deglaze the pan, meaning that with the help of the liquid and your wooden spoon, you remove all the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Those have the most flavor, so you want them in your sauce. Cook until the alcohol aroma has left the wine, and then add your meat and stock. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for as long as possible (6 hours is not too much, it is practically impossible to overcook this puppy.) Serve hot with all the fixings (tzimis, horseradish, fish, salad, ect). Reserve braising jus as well as leftover meat, they may come in handy.
Left over Sandwich
1 large white onion, julienne
2 tbs olive oil
1 cup pulled left-over brisket
1/2 cup left-over braising jus
1 tbs of any condiment of your choice (mustard, mayo, whatever) 1 tsp freshly grated horseradish
Any fresh, delicious country bread
Salt to taste
Heat Add olive oil to a small pot and heat until shimmering. Add onions and let them get brown and crispy. Add salt, reduce heat to simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Heat up a ladle of the remaining jus in a pan, until it is bubbling. Add the leftover brisket and cook until warmed through. put onto bread with condiment, fresh horseradish, and caramelized onions. Zei Gezunt.
Photo and Food Styling by Reena Newman

Daily Round-Up

2009-12-16T07:17:00.000-08:00

1. Sadly, two Ossington Strip staples have closed down. La bar a Soup and the Get Real Cafe, both of which were there long before the hipsters showed up, just couldn't compete with the massive amounts of competition that showed up over night.

2. Wine trends are really funny when you work as a server. Last year, everyone ordered Shiraz without even glancing at the menu. This year, Malbec has taken over. And just wait, I bet in 2011 Merlot and Chardonnay will come full circle. Here is an article about wine trends of the last 10 years.

Watch me cook

2009-12-15T09:08:00.001-08:00

And join my You Tube Channel

Round-Up

2009-12-11T11:54:00.000-08:00

Today's food news.
1. A wine that goes well with video games. Natch. If you only knew the hours I have spent in EB Games over the years...
http://www.thestar.com/living/article/736093--wine-that-goes-well-with-game-especially-video-game

2. The hot chocolate I just drank is making me feel a little bit sick. It's a slow food day, alright?

3. I really liked this article, but maybe it's because I had a 10 course meal cooked for me by Daniel Boulud last year.

4. enRoute's 10 best new restaurants in Canada. I don't believe the one in Ottawa is really in the top 10, I just think they had to expand their picks beyond Montreal and Toronto.
http://enroute.aircanada.com/en/articles/canada-best-new-restaurants-2009/page:3

Azura Lamb Eggplant

2009-12-11T10:53:00.000-08:00

Food Photography and Styling by Reena Newman.

On a recent trip to Israel, I had the best meal of my life at Azura, a tiny Iraqi restaurant in the Machane Yehuda. I recreated my favorite dish.
Enjoy!

1 large eggplant
.5 lbs ground beef
.5 lbs ground lamb
.5 onion, diced
1/4 tsp ground coriander seeds
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds
.5 pomegranate, seeded
2 tbs coarsely chopped parsley
2 tbs toasted pine nuts
salt and pepper to taste

Tahini
2 cloves minced garlic
lemon from 2 lemons
1/2 cup of tahini
1/4 cup water
1 tsp coarsely chopped parsley

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Place eggplant on a lined baking sheet and puncture holes with a sharp knife, so the eggplant doesn't explode in the over.
Cook the eggplant for 25 minutes or until completely soft on the inside and the outer skin is shriveled.
When the eggplant has cooled, cut it in half length-wise. Use a sharp knife and make sure that the stem is still on, just because it looks nicer. Scoop out the insides, so the eggplant skin acts as a bowl for you meat mixture.
Make the Tahini by adding the sesame paste to the garlic and lemon juice and whisk. It will start to separate, the acidity of the lemon reacts to the high fat content of the paste, so slowly add water until its at your desired consistency. Remember that you want to pour it over top two eggplant halves, so you want it to be a little bit runny. Add parsley.
Mix lamb and beef together and add spices. Heat a pan over medium high and add onions. Cook until translucent and add meat. Cook the meat for 5 or 6 minutes, until its no longer red in the center. If you like, add some of the eggplant meat you scooped out earlier and cook for 1 minute.
Scoop into your skins, top with tahini, pomegranite seeds, pine nuts and fresh parsley.
Enjoy.

How to Cut an Onion. Properly.

2009-12-02T12:51:00.000-08:00

Daily Round-Up

2009-12-02T06:07:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone, trying to file a few stories by end of day, but thought you might like to know what's going on in the food world today.

1. Montreal Chef wins Gold Metal Plate Competition (globeandmail.com)

2. This restaurant used to be homed in a very multi-cultural food court in the middle of nowhere (all I can remember is a very long bus ride from Downsview station). But they have to have a new location, will let you know what I think once Lea and I go there.

3. If you have ever met me, you know I love to drink. That is why I love this slideshow. End of story. On a side note, in New York City, hot buttered rum was all the rage last year. Why can't we get our act together and get some good bartenders in this city?

4. How to eat a chicken wing, properly (youtube.com)

Daily Round-UP

2009-11-30T21:47:00.000-08:00

None of this applies to me and my experiences serving, but this article 'aint bad. For Readers Digest...

Montreal is considered cool everywhere, even NYC.

I really want to try this recipe, who wants to have burgers at my place?

This is interesting. Genetically modified rice...

Was bashing one of The RD's former chef's really necessary Mrs. Kates?

Chill Out

2009-06-01T13:03:00.000-07:00

Wow, a Daniel Craig Popsicle. This summer Del Monte is releasing this frozen treat that is meant to replicate the scene where Craig emerges from the water as 007 in the film Casino Royal.

NEW BLOG

2009-05-28T05:53:00.000-07:00

Holy Moly has it been a while.
Well, I'm back and ready to blog.
Tune in later today for some fun recipes and food news, and check out my new blog (restogossipto.blogspot.com).

Without Friends Like These

2009-02-28T07:11:00.000-08:00

I would not eat so well! Thanks Cheryl for making this incredible Cassoulet that tasted as good as it looks.

Blubber

2009-02-24T06:33:00.000-08:00

So, I'm getting really fat, and what girl likes to put on the pounds alone. So here are some ideas to help you pack it on for this cold snap.
Thanks Nick!

Another One Bites the Dust

2009-01-20T05:30:00.000-08:00

Tablaa Wine Bar, 2711 Yonge Street, has always been a bit of a mystery. An Indian restaurant with over 1,000 wines on the menu, Tablaa's huge dining room was hard to fill on even the busiest night. So, is it a suprise that an employee went to work last week to find the door padlocked? When he tried to call his boss, the owners cell had been disconnected, making the server extremely nervous because of all the money he is owed.

Sorry, out of eggs

2009-01-15T07:44:00.000-08:00

Foodies take note. Mika Bareket has opened a store that looks small, but will have you browsing and chatting for hours. Good Egg, 267 Augusta Ave. in Kensington Market, is a cookbook store with a twist. A perfect book selection and an array of La Creuset cookware are just some of the things worth checking out. The former manager of Type Bookstore, Bareket has a great sense of style, food and selection. Plus, she gives a shout out to my parents former restaurant, Licken Chicken, where she spent a good deal of her childhood.

goodegg.ca

Un Petit Probleme

2009-01-13T04:47:00.000-08:00

Although a hipster hotspot the moment it opened, turns out the food at Le Petit Castor just doesn't add up. The Star's Corey Mintz doesn't trash the staff enough (they are rude, I was at a party with one of the pop tarts who works the floor) but basically calls the food awful. Owner Luke McCann is a former journalist and founder of Urban Supper Club, and his years of schmoozing has got people coming in hoards. This makes it the new place to be, but they have to do something about that food.

Blind Item

2009-01-09T14:26:00.000-08:00

What notorious Toronto chef bought an entire cow from a local farmer, divvied it up into garbage bags, stuffed in the walk-in freezer and forget about it, only to put 90-day aged beef burgers on the menu a few months later.

Ewwwwwwwwwwwww!

How Cute is This?

2008-12-09T07:42:00.001-08:00

In Japan, you can say I love you with a Bento. This season, pack a lunch worthy of your honey, like this Super Mario Classic here.

For more, check out Flickr or Face Food: The Visual Creativity of Japanese Bento Boxes by Christopher D. Saylers.

When things go bad...

2008-12-08T12:01:00.001-08:00

This is helpful for a condiment lover like myself.

Back in the Saddle

2008-11-26T08:35:00.000-08:00

After a long week of working at my real writing job, I can get back to doing this...

Cookstr.com is a new site that features recipes from celebrity chefs and cookbook authors alike, with full bio pages that feature famous fact, recipes and cookbooks from superstars like Daniel Boulud and Claudia Roden. My favorite feature is that you can search for a recipe by cost, skill level, total time, mood, method and dietary consideration.

Over Easy

2008-11-11T04:47:00.000-08:00

Hello to everyone reading this (yes Sarah, I am talking to you). This week I won't be posting because I have far too much work to do. But, it just so happens that my favorite assignment in this extremely busy time is to compare classic breakfasts at Diner's across the city. So here is an image that should tide you over for the next week or so until I am able to post again!

xomf

Choose your own adventure

2008-11-07T09:43:00.001-08:00

They are just about the most popular American food, they can fulfill almost any craving, and heck, there is even a song about them.

Here is a recipe for one of my stellar sandwiches you can make at home.

Grilled Butterfly Pork Chop on Crusty Bun with Salsa

You need:

4 Boneless Pork Chops

4 crusty white buns

For Salsa:

1 fruit (Mango, Apple or Pear)

.5 thinly sliced red onion

1 mined jalapeno pepper

.5 cup chopped cilantro

juice from 2 limes

For Aioli:

2 garlic cloves

1 large egg yolk

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

.5 tsp dijon mustard

.4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tbs vegetable oil

1 tbs of sauce of your wish (grainy mustard, sambal, adobe sauce)

1. Butterfly your pork chop (meaning, open it like a book or cut it almost in half, through one side, stopping about a 1/4 inch from the edge). Coat it with salt, pepper, worchestire, oil and and smoky paprika, or anything else you find in your pantry and let stand.

2. Make a fruit salsa of your choice: Mango, Apple or Pear.

Dice the fruit and add to a bowl with red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice and salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

3. Make an aioli of your choice: Mix mayonnaise with either Sambal, Grainy Mustard or adobe sauce from your can of chipotle chilies.

If you are making your own, mash garlic into a paste with salt, smearing it on your cutting board with the tip of your chef's knife. Whisk together egg yolk, lemon juice and Dijon mustard in a bowl (tip: make a nest with your dish towel and secure the bowl so it doesn't slip and slide around). Combine the oils and start steaming into mixture very slowly, whisking all the while. If it starts to split, stop adding oil and whisk until fully blended and then continue adding oil. Whisk in garlic and whatever other flavor you wish!

4. Heat a large skillet pan and drizzle with vegetable oil. Start with the pork chops open, like an open book laying on a table. Cook for about 6 minutes, rotating to give good looking grill marks. flip and cook on other sides for 4 minutes each. Put on bun smeared with aioli and topped with salsa. Serve with a green salad and white wine sangria.

Mmmmmmmm

2008-11-05T07:03:00.001-08:00

My new favorite meal in Toronto are the pupusas from the Latin American Emporium in Kensington Market. Filled with whatever combination you desire (cheese, meat, cactus, beans, ect.) they are homemade fresh to order in the back of this Latin goods convenience store. Just order at the counter and take your chit to the back as they slowly make your food with love.

Get them picante with tons of salad.

Latin American Emporium

243 Augusta Ave. (416) 351-9646

Recipe Time

2008-11-04T04:51:00.000-08:00

Today is the day! Buh, buh, buh...

So here is a quintessential American recipe for you to enjoy. Check it out!

My New Obsession

2008-10-30T13:18:00.000-07:00

My newest obsession is Branston Pickle. Put it on loosely scrambled eggs, a lavash cracker with some cheese or scoop it out onto a salad. This sweet and salty chutney is made up of carrots, cauliflower, rutabega, marrow (a type of summer squash) and dates combined with vinegar, lemon juice and assorted spices.

I think it is a great alternative to any relish and I think would taste good on just about anything, especially a sandwich. But really, nothing says I love you like a Ploughman's Lunch, so mix this up for your beloved thanks to Epicurious.

6 oz of cheddar sliced

2 thick slices good Country bread

2 to 3 tablespoons Branston Pickle

Sweet gherkins

lettuce leaves such as bibb

pickled onions

cucumber slices

Divide ingredients between two plates to assemble open face sandwich.

Don't be a Hater

2008-10-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the folks over at City Bites, I went to a charity dinner last Saturday Night, cooked by celebrity chef extraordinaire Daniel Boulud (www.danielnyc.com). I got to sit in the kitchen and watch as Boulud and his team cooked away. The people who paid over $12,000 per seat sat in the dining room, while being serenaded by Canada's three tenors. It was oh-so-very Gossip Girl.

An old friend, Jennifer Huether-Vranjes, was there as head sommelier and paired every course with a vintage Chateau Latour. Scrape your jaws off the table people, it gets even better. I got to sample every single dish (appetizers, mains and dessert), as well as partake in the wine! The last bottle being an $8000 1966 vintage.

So here it goes:

Les Fortes de Latour 2000 paired w/ Warm Prawns and Crispy Pork w/ a Celery Trio

Chateau Latour 1996 paired w/ Kataifi Crusted Sea Scallop, Porcini, Red Mustard, Pumpkin Oil

Chateau Latour 1995 paired w/ Black Sea Bass Glazed w/ Cabernet, Leek Royale and Pomme Lyonnaise

Chateau Latour 1990 paired w/ Poularde w/ Black Truffles and Foie Gras (from Quebec) Salsify and Chanterelles

Chateau Latour 1966* paired w/ Chestnut and Cocoa Nib Crusted Venison Loin, Brussels Sprouts and Spiced Cranberries

* Note: At this point, Jennifer wasn't too busy so I asked her to tell me about this wine that is almost twice my age. She said it was at it's peak, perfect to drink, beautiful in its colouring and not overwhelmingly tannic. I asked how much something like this goes for and she informed me that it is virtually priceless, rarely on the market and sold only to wine collectors but when pushed, she said it would go for $8000/bottle at auction. Double wow!

Eating Seasonally

2008-10-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Here in Ontario, we have a lot of foods available to us in the fall and winter months that are local and seasonal, meaning they are super fresh and taste great. Brussels sprouts are at their peak in October and November and it's so simple to make them taste delicious.

All you need is:
1 lb fresh Brussels Sprouts
3 strips double smoked bacon, cut into small bits
1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
chili flakes
Kosher salt to taste

Trim down the sprouts and cut them in half length wise. Drop them into salted boiling water for a few minutes, so they still have a crunch in the centre and aren't soggy or falling apart. Heat a non-stick pan and drop in the bacon. Cook until done and some of the fat has rendered. Add the Brussels sprouts and toss so they are coated in the bacon fat. Transfer into a serving bowl and add oil, chili flakes and salt and toss. Perfect as a side dish to any meat!

Easy Bake

2008-10-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

Apparently, back in the 1980's when I was eating avocado sandwiches for lunch, some kids got to indulge in Micro Magic; a Milkshake and Burger combo meal that you basically zap in the microwave, and it made the burger hot and the shake cold. Not something you would ever eat today, right? So why in the world is the glamorous and obscenely wealthy Ivanka Trump touting Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers, a microwave meal that can stay in your desk for up to a year? No refrigeration required! According to the NYT's, even Ivanka gets tired of the drudgery of brown bagging it at the office.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/20/business/media/20trump.html

Paella Perfection

2008-10-21T07:25:00.000-07:00

Paella is the perfect dish to make because it's easy, tastes great and it always impresses the good people you invite for dinner who don't cook as well as you do.
Here's how to make it.
1 Spanish onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, smashed w/ the widest part of your knife blade
.5 green pepper, julienned
.5 red pepper, julienned
1 Serrano chili, finely chopped
1 Portuguese chorizo, sliced into bite size pieces or double smoked bacon cut into bite size pieces
1 chicken breast, sliced into pieces and/ or
white fish, cut into chunks
2 tbs saffron, diluted in a touch of warm water
.5 cup of pitted black olives
3 mussels per person, cleaned and checked for beards. *note: of they are open when uncooked, toss aside. If they don't open when cooked, toss aside
fresh cilantro
1.5 cups long-grain rice
3 tbs olive oil
3 cups water
salt to taste

Heat olive oil in paella pan (if you don't have one, use a cast iron skillet or a pot with a lid.) When oil is shimmering, add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and chorizo and cook for a few more minutes. Add the peppers and olives and sprinkle with salt to taste. When everything is properly mixed and coated with oil, add the rice.
Once the rice has mixed with all the vegetables, and add chicken (and fish if you are using it), saffron and water. Cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until a lot of the liquid has been absorbed.
Place mussels in a decorative fashion on top of the paella, and cover again until the mussels have opened, about 5-10 minutes. Cook uncovered for the last few minutes.
Serve topped with fresh cilantro and a bottle of the Terre Rouge Tete-a-tete. Comer bien!

Car Camping

2008-10-13T14:50:00.000-07:00

My friend Sarah Earle asked that I post the recipe we used while camping together in Oka National Park over the summer. Only problem is, Sarah, we didn't use a recipe, remember? We threw ingredients such as chorizo and fresh pineapple from the Jean Talon market into a big old bowl of pasta, which doesn't really translate well. So, here is another one of my recipes for y'all to enjoy while camping.
You will need:
4 oranges
1 box Duncan Hines Chocolate Cake mix
Cut a lid off the orange and scoop out the inside with a spoon. Fill it with the prepared cake batter. Put the lid back on, wrap in aluminum foil and throw in the fire. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the cake is ready.
p.s. you can do the same thing with muffin batter in the morning. Enjoy with a cup of steaming hot coffee.

Food Porn

2008-10-13T06:31:00.000-07:00

Today, you can give thanks you aren't that turkey Ray Ray's manhandling. And, in the meantime, check out The New York Times Magazine's Food Issue where there isn't a single mention of a thirty minute meal. Fuck yah!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/magazine/12policy-t.html?em

My New Obsession

2008-10-07T13:25:00.000-07:00

I had a dream about the Ovalatte at Ella's Uncle the other night (916 Dundas St. West). I don't really remember what happened in the dream, but I woke up and knew I had to have one! Who knew that mixing espresso and steamed milk with a lovable, and 'healthy', morning malt n' barley beverage could be oh-so addictive. Thing is, don't try this at home because I did and it just doesn't work.
Check out Ella's Uncle, the coffee and the sweets are great. Only problem is, you still might be exhausted after your double Americano from all the hipsters up in the joint. Sorry to all the grown men in skinny jeans but if the Jonas Brothers are doing it, then you probably shouldn't be!
http://ellasuncle.com/

Reading Rainbow

2008-10-04T08:09:00.000-07:00

Some people take the change in weather as opportunity to curl up with a good book while I use the winter as an excuse to hunker down and eat some meat.
Why not do both? Here's some stuff you should be reading!
Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture http://www.gastronomica.org/
Meat Paper: A Print Magazine of Art and Ideas about Meat
http://meatpaper.com/
City Bites: Toronto's guide to great food and drink
citybites.ca
The Book of Jewish Food: And Odyssey from Samarkand to New York by Claudia Roden
http://www.salon.com/march97/food/cookbook970312.html
Jeffrey Steingarten: The Omnivore and in Vogue Magazine
http://books.google.ca/books?id=iyUxAAAACAAJ&dq=Jeffrey+Steingarten&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result
Michael Pollan: The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
http://www.michaelpollan.com/omnivore.php
Kenneth F. Kiple: A Movable Feast: Ten Millennia of Food Globalization
http://www.cambridge.org/us/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521793537

Reason Number 1,299 Why I Hate Toronto

2008-09-30T20:30:00.001-07:00

Does this look appetizing to you? Is this really what you want to see when you hit up an out-of-the-way Ukrainian/Polish street fair? Shame on you, food vendors of Toronto! I want a good, fresh sausage on a kaiser with hot mustard. And real sauerkraut. Not some cabbage strands and dried out kielbasa floating around a bain marie and then slopped onto a wonderbun with French's.
Come December, I'll be eating the legendary chorizo sausage sandwich on a crusty white bun with tons of spicy rocket and a smear of good mustard, thanks to London's Burough Market. Cheerio!
http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/index.php

Cruising for a Bloomin

2008-09-30T06:03:00.000-07:00

The caloric content alone makes the bloomin' onion sin on a plate, weighing in at a whopping 2,710 calories per serving. And there is nothing greasier, or more satisfying, than a blossoming battered and fried vidalia served alongside dressing for a meal fit for the terribly hungover. Check out other food sins below:

http://nymag.com/daily/food/2008/04/taking_stock_of_the_calorie_co_1.html

I'm Baaaccckkkk!!!!!!

2008-09-29T06:59:00.000-07:00

Alright,
so I haven't really been blogging this summer because, well, who the hell blogs anymore? This being a food blog, and today being the Jewish New Year, let's consider this a fresh start. I made wicked tagine the other night with the help of a Mrs. Roden that I though you might all enjoy now that the weather has turned. Have it with a bottle of the Lan Rioja, 100% tempranillo and absolutley delicious.
Okay, here it goes, with a little shopping guide for the two of you reading this:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, grated or chopped very finely
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon crushed saffron threads or saffron powder *I like to use threads and soak them in a teaspoon of warm water for a few mintues before adding it to a dish
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 chicken, jointed
salt and black pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped corriander
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
peel of 1 large or 2 small preserved lemons
*For all of the above, check out Arz Bakery and Fine Foods, 1909 Lawrence Ave. East (at Warden), 416-755-5084
12-16 green or voilet olives

In a wide casserole or heavy-bottomed pan that can hold all the chicken pieces in one layer, heat the oil and put in the onions. Saute, stiring over low heat, until they soften, then stir in the garlic, saffron and ginger.
Put in the chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper and pour in about 300ml of water. Simmer, covered, turning the pieces over a few times and adding a little more water if it becomes too dry. Lift out the breasts after about 20 minutes and put them to one side. Continue to cook the remaining pieces for another 25 minutes or so, after which time return the breasts to the pan.
Stir into the sauce the lemon juice, the chopped corriander and parsley, the preserved lemon peel cut into quarters or strips, and the olives. Simmer, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes, until the reduced sauce is thick an unctuous. If there is too much liquid, lift out the chicken pieces and keep them to on one sode while you reduce the sauce further, then return the chicken to the pan and heat through.
Present the chicken on a serving dish witht he olives and lemon peel on top of the meat.
Enjoy!

Long Time

2008-07-22T07:07:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been so long. I'll have something fabulous up for you today but in the meantime, here is a little eye candy.

Sluuurrrp

2008-06-06T07:39:00.000-07:00

Who thought that you would see hip twenty somethings ordering such classics as the Negroni or Manhattan as popular summer drinks? Welcome to the resurgence of the cocktail ladies and gents. The fad started with the cosmo, until people were introduced to her stiffer and older Italian cousin. Enjoy this on a terrace before dipping into a Brunello di Montalcino and a pizza al formaggio.
Mangi!

Negroni
1 ounce gin
1 ounce sweet vermouth
1 ounce campari
Slice of orange

Pour gin, vermouth and campari into a chilled old fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange slice.

It's Tiiiimmmee!

2008-05-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

Cosmpolitan

4 parts Citron Vodka
2 parts Cointreau or Triple Sec
2 parts Cranberry Juice
1 part Lime Fresh Juice

Very is a weekly free-association by Elizabeth Spiridakis, in which she calls it like she sees it.

The closer we get to the May 30th release of the “Sex and the City” movie, the more these promo pics keep popping up. They are presumably meant to spark our interest in what promises to be two hours of relentless shopping, dating and complaining. But we’re much more interested in the behind the scenes goss because this picture suggests it was no slumber party happy times on that set.

This forced group hug is:

Very very uncomfortable. They look so disconnected and like they hate each other as much as the tabloids suggest. Would anyone be surprised if this picture turned out to be four separate images photoshopped together?
Very ladies who lunch…on the blood of virgins and sacrificed lambs. They all have crazy eye!

We’re also getting very different vibes from each of these ladies:

Kim Cattrall is:

Very “Real Housewives of New York.” Aren’t cougars out by now? Her face is frozen in a hate smile mask and we can just hear her hissing, “If your skinny little shoulder comes even close to blocking my cleavage, I will cut you, Parker.”
Very Alexis Carrington Colby Dexter, the kind of woman whose diamonds are older than her boyfriends.

Sarah Jessica Parker is

Very Julia Roberts Oscar speech forced sincerity. Gee whiz, wow, I’m a star? I love everyone! Wheee!
Very Cha-cha de Gregorio meets Teen Vogue prom styling.

Cynthia Nixon is:

Very post sex-scandal humiliated wife. We have seen this face — the forced smile! — a lot lately in the news except behind Nixon’s is the awful realization that whatever amount of cash she was paid was not worth all this.
Very Forever 21 fun summer shift and matching belt. Definitely not the slick Miranda we remember.

Kristin Davis is

Very J Crew bridal collection (always the bridesmaid limited edition).
Very “Oohh, who dropped that butterfinger on the floor and can I have it?”

Montreal Wants Me, But I Can't Go Back There

2008-05-27T08:07:00.000-07:00

Montreal must be absolutely beautiful right now, and boy oh boy do I wish I was sitting on a corner eating a fried bologna sandwich from Wilensky's right now. With a sour pickle. And yellow mustard. And a cherry coke.
Oh well, I guess I'll have to settle for Montreal making it's way to Toronto.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080523.wlbeard23/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/home

Pork & Sons

2008-05-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

What does a gal like me do when she has an awkward phone conversation with her ex boyfriend? Go shopping!!! And while most women like to splurge on shoes, makeup or a new haircut, I went and bought myself a cookbook dedicated completely to pork. That's right, I went and picked up Stephane Reynaud's Pork & Sons and threw a dinner party surrounding all the recipes I wanted to try. This third generation butcher knows a thing or two about how to cook meat, and I think all my guests rolled home, bellies full and unable to look at another cured meat for a while.
Try this one for yourself at home!

Jambon de Paris, bacon, apple and curry sandwiches
Preparation Time: 20 Minutes
4 slices Bacon
1 Granny Smith or other tart eating apple
1 celery stalk, cut into thin batons
4 slices cook jambon de Paris or other unsmoked, fully-cooked ham, coarsely chopped
1 punch of fresh parsley, chopped
4 pita breads

For the Sauce
1 egg
scant 1 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon curry powder

Preheat the broiler, then cook the bacon, turning once, for 4-8 minutes. Cut into small strips.
Peel, cure, and dice the apple.
To make the sauce, beat the egg in a bowl, then whisk in the opil, 1-2 teaspoons at a time, until about a fourth of it has been absorbed. Beat in the vinegar, then continue to whisk in the oil, adding it in a steady stream. Finally, whisk in the mustard, honey and curry powder.
Stir the bacon, apple, celery, ham and parsley into the sauce. Cut each piuta bread in half and fill the pockets with the ham mixture. Cut each in half again and serve.

Ideal Sandwich

2008-04-30T06:19:00.000-07:00

So we all have big dreams in life to be happy, have a family and have the careers we want. Since I relate everything to food, I like to call this the ideal sandwich. An ideal sandwich will make your day every time you have one, especially since you can add food but they are virtually inedible which means zero calories.
Today's ideal sandwich:
1 holy land pita
4 tbs sunflower kitchen hummus
1/4 cup french fries
1 fried egg
1 baby

Turns out, the NYT's has a different idea about an Ideal Sandwich.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/dining/30sand.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

The Churro Borough

2008-03-25T06:46:00.000-07:00

With anticipation of my upcoming NYC trip, I decided that along with my hunt for the perfect spring dress, I will be in search of a mighty fine churro. Why, you ask? Well friends, I'm addicted to rhyming and sugar.
So follow my quest for the perfect Mexican-style doughnut. And I don't even like doughnuts.
The things I will do for a rhyme...
If you aren't heading to NYC anytime soon and just can't wait, try this recipe from 1080 Recipes.

Churros
175 g / 6 oz plain flour
sunflower oil, for deep frying
icing sugar, for dredging
salt

(Makes about 25)

Pour 350 ml / 12 fl oz water into a saucepan, add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Tip in the flour all at once and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or saucepan to 180–190°C/350–375°F or until a cube of day-old bread browns in 30 seconds. Put the cooled mixture into a churrera and make the churros, cutting them to the required length with a sharp knife as the dough is pushed out, and adding them immediately to the hot oil. Alternatively, spoon the cooled mixture into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe directly into the hot oil, cutting the churros to the required length with a sharp knife and working in batches if necessary. When the strips of fried dough are golden brown all over, remove with a slotted spoon, drain well, dredge with icing sugar and serve immediately. Note: Some people prefer to use a mixture of water and milk (more than half water, less than half milk), which makes lighter churros.

Moules

2008-03-15T20:50:00.001-07:00

So I went to the LCBO and cooked mussels with my friends from Mill Street. They were delicious and you can totally cook them at home if you like.
So here goes.

Buy 1 pound of fresh mussels and put them in a bucket. Fill it with cold running water and pick through to clean the mussels off, pulling off any beards or junk.
If there are mussels that don't close in the water, throw them out immediately.
Heat 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of oil in a large pan (like the one I am using in this photo). Add a tsp of minced garlic and cook until aromatic, about 45 seconds.
Add 1 cup julienne vegetables (I like using onions, peppers and carrots) and toss until slightly soft, another 2 minutes or so.
Then, add your mussels and toss them with the fat and veg until nicely coated. Add 1 tbsp Sambal (a great Indonesian-style hot sauce) 2 tbsp heavy cream and 1 bottle of good beer (I was using Mill Street Belgian Wit). Give a good shot of salt, toss and then cover until the mussels have all fully opened. If there are ones that haven't opened, discard them immediately.
Serve with fresh baguette.
C'est bon.

Keeping it in the family

2008-03-03T16:48:00.001-08:00

So my dad is a really good cook and he made this chicken that left me wanting more. Want to make it too? Here goes:

7 sun-dried tomatoes
1/3 bottle beer
1/2 head fennel, julienne
1 large white onion julienne
7 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 summer sausage cut into bite size pieces
1 chorizo sausage cut into bite size pieces
double smoked bacon cut into bite size pieces
1 cinnamon sticks
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 whole chicken, skin on and cut into edible pieces
A generous amount of fresh rosemary
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup of black olives
4 tbs olive oil

Soak the sun dried tomatoes in the beer for 20 minutes or until soft. Blend them with the beer in a food processor until it becomes a paste and put aside.
Preheat oven to 400 Degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet, brown the chicken all over and set aside.
Keep the oil hot and add onion and garlic. Sautee until onions become translucent but not brown.
Add fennel and sautee for another minute.
Add bacon, summer sausage and chorizo.
Arrange the chicken skin side up. Smear it with the sun dried tomato paste, add the cinnamon stick and sprinkle the olives and rosemary all around.
Add the orange juice and cover the pan with tinfoil.
Braise for 1/2 hour and uncover, adding the orange slices and pine nuts. Bake for another 20 minutes or until skin is crispy and chicken is cooked through.
Serve in the skillet and make sure to scrape all the good bits of the bottom of for maximum taste sensation.

Gross

2008-02-29T19:45:00.001-08:00

I'd heard of this product a while back and couldn't believe my ears even then. A beef flavored drink doesn't sound even slightly appealing, even to a meat and potatoes gal like me. Drink it with vodka like you would a Caesar. Or, if you were like me, you would try adding it to a soup or something.
Spicy stuff!

Life just isn't Fair!

2008-02-17T16:16:00.001-08:00

Some people wax poetic about the fashion in NYC, others about the restaurants or the fact that you can walk everywhere. But I'll tell you the only thing NYC has that Toronto doesn't. The only thing that matters, that is.
Trader Joe's infamous Two Buck Chuck. That's right, get yourself a totally drinkable bottle of California wine for two American dollars (that's $2.01 Canadian) at this Whole Foods competitor. Charles Shaw wines are from the Eureka state and grape varieties range from Cabernet Sauvignon to Shiraz to Merlot. Honestly, I couldn't care less about their white counterparts. But if you do, pick up a bottle of their equally cheap Chardonnay (that's a flavor of white wine, right?).
So, when I head to NYC this April I'll be hitting up the Trader Joe's in Union Square to stock up just like the girl in the photo. I suggest you do too.
Trader Joe's Wine Shop , 138 East 14th Street, 212-529-6326

Reunited and it Feels so Good

2008-02-17T15:50:00.000-08:00

Dark chocolate is good, and all, but nothing beats a Cadbury Fruit and Nut. And now, according to The New York Times, I am allowed to like milk chocolate again.
Gone is the dark chocolate craze meaning that, hopefully, milk is here to stay.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/13/dining/13chocolate.html

Fun Fact

2008-02-14T15:24:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder why Brunswick Stew calls for so much Worcestershire and Tabasco? Well, the tasty Southern meal was originally created with ingredients that would help mask the taste of rotting meat. Start skinning your squirrels, collecting your roadkill or cubing that weeks-old fowl in your fridge and have Brunswick Stew the way it was intended.
For a good recipe, go to http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/241201

Eating your Emotions

2008-02-14T14:51:00.000-08:00

This Valentine's day, instead of indulging in a bon bon or two, why not try something a little sweeter and a lot more exotic.
I fell in love with these fresh dates the moment I had them. What else can I say except that I love them just the way they are. Or was it that they had me at hello? I can't remember.
Nasar Foods, 1996 Lawrence Ave E., 416-757-1611

I Hate Rachel Ray

2008-02-14T12:26:00.000-08:00

The folks over at The Daily Show hate Rachel Ray as much as I do. When New York Magazine asked them to create endings for shows that were stuck in limbo due to the writers strike, they came up with this gem.
Yummo!

Rachael Ray
Rachael wraps a pretzel in a piece of bologna and calls it a “healthy 30-second snack.” TV executives reward her with another multimillion-dollar contract.

Gimme a Break

2008-01-19T07:13:00.000-08:00

So I've found a new obsession. Apparently in Japan there are over 600 Kit Kat flavors. To get some in your hometown, check out Sanko at 730 Queen Street West or The Pacific Mall.
I like Peach Blossom if you can get it!

Feast on This

2007-11-03T08:25:00.001-07:00

"In Children of the Ghetto (1892), Israel Sangwill writes of a young man in the East End of London who held a Christian girl he fancied to be cold of heart and unsprightly of temperament. 'Perhaps,' he wrote, 'though he was scarcely conscious of it, at the bottom of his revulsion was the certainty that the Christian girl could not fry fish. She might be delightful for a flirtation of all degrees, but had not been formed to make him permanently happy.'"
In Claudia Roden's The Book Of Jewish Food: On Odyssey from Samarkand to New York (where this great quote comes from), she makes every Jewish foodies dream come true when giving Portuguese and Spanish Jews credit for bringing with them what is now known as the quintessentially British dish, Fish n' Chip.
Why does it make me so happy you ask? Well, Jews are known for many things, food included, but as far as refined or groundbreaking dishes are concerned, we are left in a dust by the French and Italians. Sure, a good cholent makes my heart swell with nostalgia but there are few taste similarities to the elegant cassoulet. And a good kugel is something I associate with holiday dinners but it is no hand rolled gnocci.
So here comes a cookbook that makes hero's of us all. Last night I successfully attempted Mrs. Roden's Lamb with Red Chillies and Tamarind (page 404). Sweet, spicy, creamy and flavourful, this dish doesn't come close to resembling the foods I know as Jewish. This recipe is the contribution of Mrs. L. Samuel to the "Bene Israel Cookobook", distributed by Jewish Religious Union Sisterhood in Bombay.
There were three Jewish communities in India; the Cochinis, the Baghdadis and the largest but most isolated group, the Bene Israel. They lived in total isolation for centuries until they were discovered and assimilated into mainstream Jewish life less then three hundred years ago.
They are also the most Indian of three groups in their dress, language and lifestyle. Unknown to the rest of the Jewish world, they were discovered by the Cochini Jews in the mid-eighteenth century because of the fact that they kept Sabbath, practiced circumcision on the eighth day, made distinction between clean and unclean foods and recited the Shema prayer even though it was the only Hebrew prayer they knew.
This recipe is history on your plate, evoking Bene Israel's ancestry as one of the shipwrecked Lost Ten Tribes of Israel, who ended up off the coast of India in Kind Solomon's time in the second century b.c.
I used lamb shank with the bone still in as opposed to shoulder because you get more meat after trimming. Remember to talk to your butcher, tell him/her what you are making and ask what they suggest with what meat they have available. If you live in Toronto try Gasparro's Meat Market at 857A Bloor Street West at Roxton Road, (416) 534-7122.

2 lbs (1 kg) onions, sliced or coarsely chopped
6-8 tablespoons vegetables oil
4 1/2 lbs (2 kg) lamb shoulder or fillet of neck or a mixture of the two
6-10 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cloves
8-10 tiny dried red chillies*
3 lbs (90g) tiny new potatoes
3 1/2 oz (90g) creamed coconut in a hard block or 8 oz (250g) canned coconut cream**
3 tablespoons tamarind paste (can be found in Indian and Oriental Stores)
3 tablespoons sugar
* These can be bought in packages at Indian or Oriental stores
**I bought Mr. Gouda Coconut Cream at Fiesta Farms for $1.99. It is very easy to use, it is a hard block that you can cut into pieces and plop into your dish. And it gives great flavour.

Fry the onions in 3-4 tablespoons of oil on a very low heat until soft and golden, keeping the lid on and stirring occasionally to keep the onions from burning. It make take 30-45 minutes because of the large quantity.
Trim off skin and excess, but not all, fat from the meat and cut it into 1 1/2-inch (4-cm) pieces. (A step that Mrs. Roden left out and that I find essential is salting the meat before you start browning it. Remember, it is very hard to over-salt raw meat, so be generous.) Fry in 3-4 tablespoons of oil in batches in a large, heavy bottomed pan, turning the pieces to brown them all over.
Add the garlic, cumin and coriander to the onions and stir well for a minute or so, then add the spiced onions to the meat. Cover with about 4 cups (1 liter) of water and bring to a boil. Remove the scum and add cinnamon, cloves and chillies, then simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until meat is very tender. Remove chilies at this stage.
Now put in the potatoes, peeled or simply washed (Mrs. Roden recommends you don't peel them so I didn't, but I did quarter them), and add about 2 1/2 cups (600ml) of water - just enough to cover. Add the creamed coconut cut into pieces or the canned coconut cream, the tamarind and the sugar and simmer for another 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. There should be a lot of sauce.
Serve with plain rice, chapatis, or bread.

Wanna go pro?

2007-10-31T13:22:00.000-07:00

There are many differences between the home chef and the restaurant chef. Sure, many people think they are that good, fantasizing that their skills could quickly and seamlessly be transferred from their kitchen to that of a busy restaurant. Unfortunately, this is simply untrue for even the finest dinner party host.
There is no denying that restaurant food just tastes different, but there are certain tricks of the trade handed down from the likes of Escoffier (among others) that can make your next dinner party taste like the real deal.

Emulsify, Emulsify, Emulsify
This technique is used for things that most people buy or make by mixing water and powder (hollandaise, mayonnaise). Emulsification is a mixture of two liquids that don't normally combine smoothly, like oil and vinegar. In order to emulsify, you must slowly (and this can mean drop by drop or very slow stream) add one ingredient to the other while constantly and rapidly whisking or mixing. This disperses one into the other properly, resulting in a thick and satiny product. How to incorporate this at home? Why not serve perfectly steamed asparagus with a homemade aioli?
You'll need
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon dijon
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
lemon juice
1 teaspoon smoky paprika
salt and pepper

Crush garlic with your knife, add salt and smear on your cutting board with the side of your chef knife until it is like a paste.
Make a nest of two dry tea towels and place a mixing bowl in it. You should be able to whisk with one hand and pour in oil with the other while the bowl remains steady.
In the bowl, mix the egg yolk and Dijon with a large whisk. When well mixed, start adding the oil bit by bit so it doesn't split (If you see it starting to split, stop adding oil and keep whisking until properly emulsified).
Once you have added about a half cup of the oil, you can start speeding up the process, pouring in the thin but steady stream.
After all the oil has been added, mix in the lemon juice, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper.

Cauliflower

2007-10-31T12:52:00.000-07:00

Cauliflower is in many people's minds a bubbie vegetable. Your grandmother used to brown it with bread crumbs, boil it and pour cheese on top or mash it beyond recognition, all of which masks its natural and wonderful taste. No longer is it the white, slightly flavorless and tough veggie served as part of a crudite. It comes in many variaties and tastes best when cooked most simply. A purple head of the stuff can brighten up the table when serving a roast. Romanesque looks great with fish and bright vegetables.
Try this:

1 large head of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and papper

Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees.
Spread florets onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast until the edges of the cauliflower become crispy, about 35 minutes.

Serve it while still hot in place of potatoes. Yum!

High Hopes

2007-10-31T12:50:00.000-07:00

I am starting a food blog because there aren't enough on the Internet. This is my first post and a little experiment so bare with me.