this little piggy

lobster fest

2010-11-27T19:20:00.004-05:00

A happy memory, this.

There are a few weeks every year when fresh B.C. spot prawns are at their best. Seeing them dance around the tank, we also felt the urge to pick up a few lobsters, a Dungeness crab and some cold, cold beer. A few phone calls to some hungry friends and a giant pot of boiling water later, and the feast was on.

Everyone in the pool! We kept it all super simple, since everything was so fresh and (until very recently) lively.

The pile starts...

We threw together some quick sauces too - soy chili, lemon butter, a green onion-coriander-ginger concoction, lemon slices and of course, tabasco.

D gets to work cracking those shells...

And we're ready to dig in. (Bibs optional!)

There's nothing quite like a good eat on! That, and a group nap afterwards.

today, i...

2010-11-25T01:22:00.004-05:00

...laughed out loud this morning when I saw my sock-shoes from the night before.

Doodled for a bit, headed to work.

Had a buttery good meal. (I like it when D makes eggs.)

Stopped for a bit to admire how shockingly bright the peas were.

Saw pasta being rolled...

...and made into these fat pillows.

Snacked on a bit of radish,

and wondered what kind of salad was on the mozzarella tubs.

Plated some pumpkin pies.

Home again. We had grilled cheese sandwiches, and D attacked some Nazi zombies on Call of Duty...

things to do on a rainy day #2

2010-11-23T17:55:00.004-05:00

Some afternoons just call out for making soup.

Today in particular, with its gusty winds and plain grey sky, demanded cabbage.

(Simmered with a good amount of fatty pork, from this recipe.)

Speaking of, how sweet are these fellas? A birthday gift from my aunt.

The pot simmers away. Take the pooch out for a walk.

Letters and numbers.

Surprise! A package awaits.

Thank you, P. You sure do know how to spoil me!

A few minutes more, and ready to tuck in.

(It's not the prettiest thing, but it sure was delicious.)

"the usual"

2010-10-16T13:33:00.003-04:00

It's nice to have your regular spots...

remembering what's good

2010-10-14T11:14:00.006-04:00

Sometimes, it's not about the new or the flashy. Recently, it took us a (lucky) series of events to remind us just how good the simple is.

We've long frequented the popular Mother's Dumpling, following it after its move from its first smaller home. Even though I want to love the new location, so badly I do, but sadly the growing pains are clear...bigger isn't always better. (Hopefully things will be smoothed out soon. Even so, I will always have a soft spot for their Juicy Pork Buns. Damn, they are tasty.)

It was late, we were unusually indecisive, and we were getting hungry. Mother's was closing so we kept walking down Spadina. We were almost at Dundas before stopping to turn around:

"Hey, the Dumpling House is open. We haven't been there in ages."

"Um, yeah, that's cause it's old and yucky."

reading the menu

Ok, so I might have said that. I was pretty cranky at this point, and it's sort of true. Even though I'd often check out the cool looking prep area by the front window, I had obviously written off the functional, spare, slightly run-down nature of the space, preferring it to its flashier neighbour up the street. Oh, shame on me!

Because you know what? The dumplings at this house are seriously amazing.

a little hot and sour soup to start

The dough is slippery-but-with-a-little-chew, and the fillings taste simply of what they should be. The boiled pork and salted cabbage dumplings are completely addictive.

boiled pork and salted cabbage dumplings

Fried pork and chive dumplings. Love that crispy lace.

I could also eat these every day. Love that the skin is a touch thinner on them, so that they're a bit more delicate and nicer to eat with that crispy fried bottom layer.

Another awesome thing...the fried dumplings are left open on the ends to let the steam out.

Simple. Great. Tasty goodness. We'll definitely be back again soon.

plenty

2010-10-04T11:53:00.004-04:00

Have you ever had that feeling of instant connection to a cookbook? There's that eye blinking series of moments where you flip through the first few pages (and if you're liking what you see, perhaps you slightly push out your lower lip while nodding at the pictures), and yes indeed you proceed to zoom in to actually start reading the recipes...

And if you're lucky, once in a while you'll truly enjoy the author's banter - personally I like a mix of casual storytelling, with a bit of hows and whys thrown in (but not too educational, if you know what I mean). Most important of all, however, is that somehow this new personality that you've just met, guided along with mouthwatering pictures - friendly and real, rather than too obviously "touched"- makes you want to cook. And eat.

This, dear friends, is something I would like to share with you. Because the lovely M, from my favourite store in the world (good egg. love it!) was kind enough to share it with me, knowing that I'd get a kick out of it. And some great new dishes too...

This was one of the first pictures that drew me in. Isn't it just amazing? Ravioli with Lemon, Chilli and Goat's Cheese.

Ottolenghi (named after its founder, Yotam) is an incredibly popular restaurant/take away shop with several locations around London. I've seen the gorgeous displays of prepared salads and baked goods - unfortunately not in real life, yet! - and can say that the generous spirit and simplicity in which everything is prepared is so welcoming, and very much up my alley. (Would Toronto be open to having an Ottolenghi-style spot? With self serve platters and communal tables? I wonder...)

Plenty is Yotam's second book, and has the quiet distinction of happening to also be vegetarian. As I am most definitely not a vegetarian (and neither is the author, who often suggest fish or meat dishes to complement some of the side recipes), it's inspiring and refreshing to be reminded of just how fantastic cooking with (um, not meat?) obviously good-for-you ingredients can be.

The chilli in this recipe is a Turkish spice mix called kirmizi biber. Wouldn't this be great for brunch? With a great big pile of buttered toast....

There's something about the English sensibility to putting flavours together that I find so intriguing. Infuse that with the spices and flavours of Yotam's Israeli background, and you'll find yourself thinking about eggplants, saffron, cumin and tahini in a whole new way...

Here's another few that I can't wait to try out. I do love a good lentil salad. You'll also see some nice black mission figs in the market these days, and I like the idea of using pomegranate molasses in the dressing to draw out their sweetness...

Yes, it's definitely time to do a spot of shopping and then some cooking. (I think that's a good sign that you and your new favourite cookbook are going to be great friends!) Hope you have a chance to check it out. Until next time!

mother's sandwich shop

2010-09-30T11:44:00.003-04:00

I'm happy that this sign is still up, even though the shop itself is long gone. I feel like I would have really liked the sandwiches there.

greedy little lunch

2010-09-29T10:00:00.001-04:00

rillet, crackers, pickles.

things to do on a rainy day

2010-09-28T17:00:00.002-04:00

making happy yellow necklaces to brighten up the gloomy outside....

comfort food #6

2010-09-28T00:57:00.005-04:00

Speaking of cheeseburgers...

I'm enough of a nerd to spend my time googling the words "shake" and "shack" (having never been, so sad, oh so sad) to get this little bugger to be just so.

Deee. Lish. Ooousss. And addictive as hell!

Firstly, a small, handheld size is best. No commitment, just instantaneous love. Nice, freshly ground beef (I seasoned mine with just a few shakes of worchestershire and s & p).

You gotta make conservative little pucks of meat, which you then proceed to sear over incredibly high heat. And as you do, it's all about the forceful SQUISH-ing down of your patty with the flipper. It's all about the crust, believe me! And maybe a squirt of fake yellow mustard right on top as its cooking. (It's like Animal Style+ Shackburger = extra goodness).

A soft bun - lightly toasted - is key. All the better to soak up the thousand island, er, secret sauce. (That's mayo, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, and a touch of mustard. Yes, I watch the Triple D religiously as well.) As the patty finishes up cooking, lay on a slice of melty processed cheese and cover to let it finish steam/melt. Please, please, don't feel the need to be fancy and slap on "real" cheese...I promise that once you believe in the power of good ol' American cheese (Kraft Singles around these parts), you will be a convert for life.

A few pickles, iceberg, a slice of tomato (s&p of course), and you're good to go.

We had ours with a cold root beer. Highly recommended!

lean and mean

2010-09-27T14:16:00.006-04:00

And oh so clean.

At least, that's how I felt after knocking back this awesome plate D put together. Yes, I am one very lucky gal. It's almost worth overdoing it on greasy cheeseburgers - for, ahem, example - to crave something fresh and crisp for a change. Veggies and fruit, who knew?

cucumbers, orange, grapefruit, avocado, shallots in lime juice...

white bass marinating in lemon and lime juice, yeah!

Dinner is served! Coriander, basil, radish and a touch of olive oil to top it all off.

guilty pleasures #4

2010-09-25T00:05:00.004-04:00

Oh man, I'm not sure if I should even be sharing this, it's so undercover...but then again, I guess that's why they call them guilty pleasures!

Every now and then D and I will embark on a single minded mission to get our eat on, even if that means going on covert trips to the store to grab those little things we've been craving all week. (Obviously for me, that usually ends up being any and all snacks made with fat and salt. I'm pretty predictable that way.)

This little number is from awhile back, but just looking at this - don't judge us yet, you know you've got your own hit list! - makes me realize we're due for another round soon:

Here we have what I'd call our own "secret charcuterie" board, although I guess I should use extra air quotes around the charcuterie bit, seeing as there's only one bit o'meat - and a questionable one at that - to be found. But you get the picture.

Beginning from the top left (and as you find so often, following in a clockwise manner):

A nice little wedge of creamy, garlic-y Boursin. Cold and straight from its cute foil pack, yessir.
Spoonfuls of oil packed giardiniera. D is very, shall we say, particular about getting to eat all of the cauliflower bits. Salty pickled crunchy goodness. A perfect mouthful with...
Slices of Cracker Barrel. Medium orange shade, of course! (They happen to also melt quite nicely over our cracker selection.)
Ryvita (mine, from when I'm feeling clean and eating them with things like almond butter and raw honey), Triscuits - the originals, full salt most definitely, and Bretons to round it all out.
On to the veggies and dip section. A fancy dancy quenelle of artichoke dip, also known as mayo with extras, to go with our cukes.
Oh Brandt. How we love your chubby tubes of liverwurst, especially the Gold Tube with Chopped Herbs. So much secret love going on with this one!
Fish She Is Very Small. That's what's written on the tin of Millionaires Sardines, where you'll also see a smartly dressed little fishie, tux and all, sporting a monocle and top hat. My very favourite squished on crackers. Umm...
It's very unusual to find extra slices of smoked salmon around our place. Mostly because I will usually eat it all upon first sighting. I must be part bear or something. Also some philly cream cheese to go with.
More salt and crunch options in the form of green olives and radishes. Sometimes I'll snack on the radish with salt (surprise) and butter (!) too...

Working up an appetite now. But shhh, don't tell anyone, k? Until next time!

strange but true

2010-09-24T19:59:00.005-04:00

Some goofy and random encounters from the last bit:

(Or rather, the odd things you get to see when you prep for a food show about birthday parties for kids...)

EPIC RAINBOW CAKE!

If roses are red, and violets are blue, then making a spectacular Yellow and Blue Dye No. 5 extravaganza of a beast is like the ultimate bouquet of love to show your special little someone how much you care. That and the many cups of icing sugar - and butter, so much butter - used in the frosting! I wish I had the final cake to show you...it was frosted in a fluffy white meringue (clouds!) and topped with a giant yellow "chocolate" sun. With giant rays. Yeah!

Ok, ok. So kids love hot dogs, right? And creepy crawly things like worms and snakes? What about...

HOT DOG SNAKES!!!

These dudes get three exclamation marks because they're fun x 3. The host of the show had such a giggle fit making them that for the rest of the season our friends here would appear on all the monitors anytime there was a break. Aww, I love their silly little tongues!

Hot Dog Snakes! In the oven!

(In case you were wondering, we ended up serving them on a great big tray covered in astroturf.)

Happy Birthday Kiddo!

mazel tov!

2010-09-15T09:01:00.004-04:00

...to my dearest and loveliest friends, M and N. What a beautiful, extraordinary day!

A few things you will want to know about our couple, and about this most special of days:

1) They come from the nicest, kindest, most hilarious families you could imagine. (M has told me of her bubbie's epic fridge stashes of restaurant butter pats and mini jam packages, and how the secret recipe for her famous shortbread cookies has been passed down to her: "Vel, it's very simple. You take two cups of sugar...and thirty six packets of butter...")

2) M herself is one of the most amazing women I've ever met. I have yet to meet anyone who loves anything and everything to do with food and cooking more that her! Well, her new hubby perhaps. I should mention that they spend their weekends tapping maple trees and making syrup, and that N, as a hobby, grew prize winning garlic at his family farm.

3) Also, hanging out with them is pretty awesome.

ridiculously delicious cheeses from Ruth Klahsen

4) They know how to eat. And laugh. And have everyone join them!

bresaola from Fabio Bondi of Local Kitchen

more charcuterie and spectacular bread from St. John's

homemade pickles

table settings...

...named after favourite foods, of course!

The pasta station. Check out that butter mise!

The pasta was hand rolled in the wee hours the morning of. Then stuffed with fresh ricotta, parm and some farm fresh egg yolks...

...can you feel the love?

Let the feasting begin!

Thanks again for having us join in the celebrations. Love you guys!!!

an oldie...

2010-09-14T16:14:00.003-04:00

...and definitely a goodie.

I think this was taken in 2001. Back alley, off of Portland. The sketchy building they're in front of has long been torn down to make way for the ever growing forest of condos there today.

From the tales I've been told, this was back in the day where the fish "room" was practically outside, and the cooks changed on the line (no space anywhere else). In five years there will be additions of a private dining room, some skylights, and more than three times as many boys (and a few girls) working away in the two side-by-side restaurants...

It's nice to stumble upon these pictures. Hope everyone is doing well!

back to it

2010-09-12T16:55:00.002-04:00

Yes, it's been waaaay too long. I've got so many things to catch up on - and I'm excited to start sharing again!

So here we go...

seat 8

2010-01-17T17:36:00.003-05:00

crispy sweetbreads with brown butter & lemon enoki and oyster mushrooms, marsala jus
(valentine radish and chervil)

comfort food #5

2010-01-15T01:28:00.003-05:00

Dal fry, palak paneer, tikka masala and plain rice.

A perfect night in! Kettle is on. Off to watch some Ricky Gervais stand up whilst curled up on the couch. Now where's my snuggie?

sometimes all you need

2010-01-14T01:11:00.003-05:00

the morning after the night before...is a big ol' plate of greasy breakfast.

Bring on the bottomless coffee, yeah!

happy holidays

2010-01-12T01:03:00.002-05:00

Oh, yes, it's been awhile... A fresh start, a new year - here we go!

Little gifts for cooks.

Fresh sharpie? Check. Tape? Check. A shiny new peeler? Check!

guilty pleasures #3

2009-08-11T08:54:00.006-04:00

Yessir, that's right...dinner for two on a Monday night!

A small cheese from Pizza Gigi, just covered in a mountain of shaved summer truffle.

Oooch, so good it hurt.

in the kitchen: gnocchi

2009-07-13T08:58:00.006-04:00

A few fun shots from some gnocchi action going on...

a day in pictures

2009-07-12T21:07:00.014-04:00

From the outdoor art festival at Nathan Phillips Square, to strolling down Queen Street and a little dinner at Terroni....

favourite things

2009-07-11T21:26:00.008-04:00

One of my all-time faves, the sexy little chanterelle mushroom...uummm.

When I'm lucky enough to get a few of these babies at home, I don't usually do too much to them. A light shred and we're ready to go...

A quick fry in a (generous!) dab of butter, some sliced garlic, salt and pepper, and hey - found a bunch of thyme in the fridge, so threw a twiglet in - wow, I just wish you could smell the deliciousness in the air!

I'm making these for a late breakfast today, so I'm thinking these lovely buttery goodies will be just perfect with some soft scrambled eggs. With a great snowfall of parmesan shavings on top....

Honestly, I wish I could start more of my days off like this!

on Springsteen and spring training

2009-06-21T10:00:00.001-04:00

(So I originally wrote this post in March - just goes to show how I like to start lots of little things, and then promptly forget about them - but happily I've got more to follow on this train of thought...)

Recently I've started to wish that I was just a little bit more trampy...in the free-wheeling, train-hopping adventurous way, of course. Maybe it's that mischievious feeling in the air that spring brings (new adventures! daffodils! puppies! cleaning!), turning my mind towards all sorts of new daydreams and fledgling projects.

Mostly though, I like to think it's because a man I call Boss said it best: 'cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run.

Oh, how the fist gets pumping just thinking about that dancey-dance tune....

So start running I did.

And while I don't disagree that some of us truly may have been born to run, I, clearly am very happy in my natural habitat of couch, tv and remote, making relocation to the wild just a wee bit traumatic.

So, a few weeks and several ice packs later, I now find myself equally inspired and bewildered by the idiotic challenge that I have set for myself. You see, I have been gently coerced into training for a freaking half-marathon. That's 21. 1 kilometers to run. In a row.

Holy cow, what am I thinking?

Boss man, I feel what you're saying. I'm just gonna have to think trampy thoughts for the next little while...

guilty pleasures #3

2009-06-20T15:02:00.003-04:00

Another secret cheesy spot: the Milestones rooftop patio at Dundas Square. Hey, if you can't beat 'em...

Bellinis and brain freeze, hooray!

happy days #9

2009-06-19T10:00:00.000-04:00

Looking at these remind me that it's time to visit the farmer's market at Wychwood Barns again soon...

Homemade jellies and sauces.

Sweet potatoes for sale. (They made a great soup, mmm.)

Oyster mushrooms, from the Fun-Guy.

Arts and crafts, and duck eggs too.

Sampling the hand churned hot cocoa.

Sneaking a view from above.

Maybe tomorrow?

mid-week ode

2009-06-17T19:18:00.000-04:00

If the mood is right, you could skip the spaghetti,

(even if it’s covered in cheese.)

But I’d certainly be sad if I lost you, dear meatball.

Especially to a sneeze.

All the essentials: ground beef and veal, egg, breadcrumb, garlic, nutmeg, salt, pepper, parsley...and just a touch of cream.

Mix, slap, roll...

After searing...

...and dousing with the world's easiest sauce. And then bake the whole deal until bubbly and done!

Dear Meatball,

Sure looking forward to those sammies for lunch tomorrow...

reason #283

2009-06-14T21:41:00.007-04:00

...that I love my dearest man.

He makes my favourite breakfast, eggs benny, when he knows I'm grumpy with a hangover. Gotta love that!

(if I were left to by own devices this morning, this would've been pretty much it for breakfast ...sad, but true)

Coffee. Nap. And all is good again...

feelin' hot

2009-04-16T10:25:00.007-04:00

...hot pot! Oh, so cheesy, I know, but with such a festive free-for-all way to eat dinner, a bit of silliness is guaranteed. It had been positively aaaages since our last hot pot meal, but with my mom's birthday to celebrate, it seemed the perfect time to get out all the fun gear and just start dunking and dipping.

First a trip to the local Chinese supermarket for the fixings:

Thinly sliced beef and lamb, ready to be fanned out and swish swish swish-ed by pairs of eager chopsticks.

Part of our arsenal of dipping sauces - black vinegar, sesame oil...

...toasty barbecue sauce, also called sa cha, made of garlic, shallots, chili and shrimp paste.

It's pleasantly stinky, if that makes sense. And great to mix with all the other sauces. I love diy dinners!

Chiu Chow chili oil. Oh, that smoky, salty, nose runningly hot stuff. Gotta have the chili oil.

And while we unpacked the groceries (another reason to love a hot pot feast, easiest prep ever!), a quick stock was put on to simmer. No homemade chicken on hand, but not to worry, a can or two gets opened and bumped up with shrimp heads and shells (left over from D's shrimp ball making, in a bit) and napa cabbage innards. Delish.

Enoki and oyster mushrooms, quail eggs (to be used by the more adventurous, cracked raw and ooey, as another dipper to temper the piping hot food) and the infamous beef balls. (I say that as D still can't believe that I actually like the strange superball texture of the store bought kind. I guess it's a taste memory thing. Scored with a little x and puffed up in hot soup, I can't imagine not having these processed babies for hot pot.)

Deep fried tofu puffs. Perfect little flavour sponges! We discovered later that when they float to the top of broth containing, say spoonfuls of hot chili oil, they tend to also soak up just the oil. Oh, it burns, it burns so good.

D, still disbelieving of my love for rubber meatballs, went ahead and made his own shrimp version. Yeah, so they were pretty much the most delicious, delicate, sweet seafoodie dumplings of delight ever. Show off. (I kid, they were fantastic.)

Oh so serene images of Before...

...sliced chicken, lightly blanched oysters, strips of napa cabbage...

...my little dish of sauces, ready to begin. Aaaand go!

(You'll notice we don't actually have the proper pots; we made do with one big rice cooker for the main dunking and a mini one for the crazy kids that liked it spicy. Chili and oil and sichuan peppercorn, oh my.)

My aunt, getting a better view of the situation. The action can get a bit intense!

Dunk, swish, slurp, burp. A handful of watercress and rice noodles go in near the end to soak up the now concentrated broth...

Success! I'm thinking we need more family dinners this messy and fun.

And last, but definitely, not least, it was time for mom's birthday cake. Courtesy of Aunt W, we had a Chinese bakery classic...

...super mango mousse layered with sponge cake (I'm pretty sure there was tinned fruit salad in the middle somewhere, how awesome!)

Happy birthday mom!

on belly, and breakfast

2009-04-14T11:00:00.006-04:00

Growing up, my dad was the cook of our little family. His favourite things to cook, not surprisingly, were also the same things he loved to eat, which meant that depending on his mood we ate a lot of whole steamed fish with ginger and green onion, or chili-laced soupy noodles (less spicy for me, but just barely) and pan fried dumplings.

One of his many loves, other than eggs (which I'm sure he could, and would, eat boiled, poached, fried over-easy with XO sauce...) and sunday breakfast (with thick cut home fries, sprinkled with paprika, perfect with - you guessed it, eggs) was pork belly. Braised, roasted, bbq'd, cured or smoked, belly was just that one thing that made a good day even better.

And what's not to love, as Fergus Henderson, that most eloquent of men on the subject of piggy heads and tails and everything in between, has said:

Pork Belly is a wonderful thing. It's onomatopoeic, belly is like it sounds - reassuring, steadying, and splendid to cook due to its fatty nature. It's not a cut of meat to rush; with that, a certain calm is imbued in the belly. There's nothing like a pork belly to steady the nerves.

Oh, belly, belly, belly. It does make me think of goofy Woody in Cheers, b-e-l-l-yyyyy. Why? Because you're miiine.

And so, on one lazy saturday afternoon spent puttering around the house, I put on a pot of that most reassuring, yes, of things, braised pork belly. A happy day, in my books!

Just as dad did, ginger, green onion....

...with a touch of this brown sugar. Isn't it nice how the slabs sort of look like belly? In goes a splash of dark mushroom soy sauce and chinese cooking wine, stock, star anise and a teeny tiny piece of cassia bark. Simmer, skim, do some laundry. (And by "laundry" I mean goof around on facebook, of course.)

Oh yes. This is good. And definitely a favourite that will stay in this family!

A simple accompaniment of rice and steamed veg is more than enough to round out this dinner...

...or is it?

Ever the one to gild the lily, and knowing that dad would so approve, I went whole hog (sorry) and splurged on this little ditty for sunday breakfast.

Braised pork belly, fried, with mushrooms, fried egg and a toasty hash brown.

Hoo yeah, that sure was tasty. I think I might just have a new one to add to my list of Good Sunday Breakfasts! One that sings the praises of b-e-l-l-y....

on roses and a sweet sammie

2009-04-13T18:11:00.013-04:00

Juliet had it right, about the rose at least. It's true, by any other name, it would smell just as sweet...but again, I suppose she had more pressing things on her mind than a lunch of a ham and cheese sammie.

Which, if you like to think of these things (as I certainly do, is that normal?), conjures up images of plastic lunchboxes, floppy pale pink squares, shiny processed cheese and my fave, squishy soft wonderbread. Umm. All great things, really, but sometimes when the simple Ham and Cheese just won't do, it's as easy as a change in name.

A tosta mista, anyone?

A grilled ham and cheese really wouldn't sound the same. Even just saying tosta mista makes your face go through a range of motions that makes you seem more worldly, glamourous, jet-set even. Try it, you'll see!

Oh so good. We like to get ours from a couple of the Portuguese bakeries near us. (This one is from Caldense on Dundas.)

So what's in a name? In this case, crispy, toasty, tender, melty-ooey-gooey-goodness. A ham and cheese never had it so good.

p is for pastelle

2009-03-29T19:09:00.019-04:00

And for Mrs. P, who makes these Trinidadian goodies by hand every Christmas. Mrs. P is the mom of one of my oldest girlfriends, and their family holiday festivities are pretty legendary, partly due to an eye-popping, kilowatt-clearing, epic sparkly tree, but also for the insanely good Newfie - West Indian (mom and dad, respectively) spread that us, the lucky Invited, are always thrilled to share in.

There's always the turkey (I believe two sometimes, done on the barbeque) and stuffing, ham with an assortment of honey/spicy mustards, scalloped potatoes, freshly made white bread and the absolute, hands-down best best best bean salad ever, served along with many glasses of Mr. P's ron (rum and coke) and pina coladas. Then there's jerk pork and chicken, sometimes homemade jerk sausage, spicy cucumber salad and little unassuming jars of addictive scotch bonnet sauce that will burn your face off and make you swear like a sailor before you reach for another (tiny) spoonful. And for dessert, a generous slice of my favourite, super moist coffee cake, with its crunchy topping of cinnamon and brown sugar...

But the pastelles are special, a little different and another thing altogether. I guess it's because our family always comes over on Christmas Eve, and the Ps usually serve them on Christmas Day. If we were lucky, we'd get a sneak preview (and luckier still, a taste test) of these elusive steamed treats, with their almost tamale-like setup using cornmeal dough and spicy, highly seasoned meat filling.

We were indeed lucky to score some extra (no such thing, really, but Mrs. P sure is generous to us greedy eaters) pastelles this year, and greedy eaters though we usually are, this time we actually exercised enough willpower to save them, wrapped, frozen and waiting, until such a time as when we could properly (post-holiday, post-resolution, post-winter blahs), and pleasurably, enjoy these special homemade Trinidadian treats.

A day like today, actually.

Our frozen grab bag. Inside is a kind of cornmeal flour dough, flattened and wrapped around spicy, meaty goodness. To shape them, Mrs. P would then wrap the patty-like bundles in plastic wrap before a layer of tin foil (easier to find here than banana or fig leaves).

We were instructed to boil them for about half an hour.

And impatiently, timer done, I unwrapped mine, scalding my fingers a bit, but not enough to slow me down...

No need for sauces or fancy plating, this is perfect just as is.

The dough is tender and yielding, having soaked up some of the spicy beef flavour from the filling...

Mmmm, and just like that, they were gone! Only eight more months 'til we meet again...

comfort food #4

2009-03-27T12:10:00.008-04:00

For those early spring nights that still have a bit of a chill, nothing beats a good dinner of soon dubu chigae, Korean soft tofu stew. Armed with a steamy bowl of this kimchi and chili paste-laced goodness, I (almost) wish that warmer weather would stay away just a teeny bit longer...

cold seaweed salad with sesame and chili

We picked up the banchan, little side dishes, at PAT Central supermarket on Bloor West. I love bringing home these handy premade snacks and picking at them straight from the containers. The green seaweed salad is my favourite, as I'm a sucker for (almost) anything tossed with toasted sesame oil and a bit o' chili. A few more that we picked up this time:

mmm peanuts, seasoned with a bit of sugar and itty bitty dried fish

nori salad

Sometimes I like to mix bits of this one (toasty, slightly sweet and pleasingly chewy) in with my rice. It makes my bowl look a bit dirty, but eh, I'm down with the rustic vibe.

The Stew

Of course, my favourite part about eating this (other than the slurp, slurp, slurp-ing) is the moment of the Yolk Poke. I think you're pretty much guaranteed a satisfying meal when it involves the Poke. Oh eggs, how I love you so!

I'm pretty sure we had some steamed rice with this somewhere...I do know that this picture lasted about two seconds before we dug in and destroyed it all....

happy days #8

2009-03-26T16:39:00.006-04:00

Ain't. No. Half. Steppin'...

happy days #7

2009-03-26T11:51:00.007-04:00

Or, Wanda's Pie in the Sky and Other Adventures...

D and I like to walk down through Kensington Market and Chinatown at least once a week, mostly for fresh veggies, cheese and the occasional fish or two. This past weekend was especially nice and sunny, perfect for taking the little plastic camera out for a stroll.

First stop, Wanda's Pie in the Sky. Plenty of eager sidewalk coffee drinkers outside, soaking up the first spring sun.

Blueberry, apple and strawberry rhubarb, oh my!

I like that there's a large communal table inside to spread out the weekend comics.

The view from Spadina and St. Andrew.

My favourite lunchtime treat, especially when I get to meet my mom and we head on over to our fave spot for two small "everything, everything" noodles and iced coffees.

I'd need to feel especially brave to pick through these massive buckets of pickled veg. They are so tasty, it's kinda worth it...

Back in the Market, a stand for fresh squeezed/pressed/spun juice.

Good Egg is pretty much my favourite store in the whole wide world. I wish I had an entire glamourous, sunny East Wing (oh East Egg!) in my pretend future house with this shop plunked down right in the middle of it. I could la-dee-da my afternoons away, reading fabulous books about food and travel and gardening, with a happy little soup simmering away in a mini orange Le Creuset pot...

Window display at Good Egg.

Homeward bound.

fallen angels

2009-03-22T10:00:00.007-04:00

One of my all time favourite movies. It makes me want to run away to Hong Kong and chain smoke whilst eating soft-serve ice cream and ramen noodles...

Our star-crossed lovers. Oh, the life of an assassin and his partner...

I love that saturated, dream-like mood...like we're watching a scene shot in an aquarium.

Hong Kong, spooky and still sometimes silly at night.

And the food, I like how it appears everywhere...

Our adorable misfit, rendered mute from eating a can of expired pineapple.

I couldn't get this scene out of my head the first time I saw it.
Our lady smokes and eats her noodles at the same time, while a gang fight breaks out behind her.

Dawn.

a touch of...

2009-03-21T18:51:00.010-04:00

Pretty Grace, as seen through dreamy rose-coloured glasses.

comfort food #3

2009-03-08T20:26:00.005-04:00

Just call me Garfield. Lasagna, I am your slave.

in the kitchen: halibut

2009-03-05T11:01:00.007-05:00

Sometimes we're so busy at work, I forget just how pretty and of course, tasty, some of our plates are. I recently had the chance to stop and smell the um, beurre blanc, and snap a quickie from the fish station.

Slow roasted halibut, roasted carrots (yellow, white, purple and sweet Nantes), beurre blanc, radish and chervil.

Happy (belated) Year of the Ox

2009-03-04T23:30:00.007-05:00

Ok, ok, so I'm a bit (ok, a lot) belated, but here's wishing you gung hei fat choy - a very Happy Chinese New Year to you! With it being the Year of the Ox and all, I was feeling all inspired to celebrate with the obvious little play. So here it is (or was, rather) my happy dinner that helped ring in that happy new year, Chinese-style brasied oxtail.

A little flour dusting, then off to sear until nice and dark golden...

My favourite new pot. Another awesome gift from D.

So in there we've got some stock, dark and light soy, brown sugar, splash of chinese cooking wine, bits of ginger, garlic, green onion, carrot and star anise...and simmer, simmer my little dinner.

Ooh, and by the magic of tv, here's what it looked like about an hour and a half later...

Gooey, sticky, happy.

(I'm still on the brown rice kick; my fragrant-polished-white-jasmine-rice eating mom is kinda mystified about that. Whole grains, schmole grains, the asian kid has gone rogue! But I digress.)

Urm, slurpy fattiness...

It's nice to have an excuse to celebrate the oxtail. And with that new years meal under my belt, it was time to celebrate like it was 4709...

guilty pleasures #2

2009-03-02T01:55:00.003-05:00

Afternoons at Ikea. I like the lighting section the most I think.

Of course, I always have to stop by the cafeteria for a quick bite. Sometimes it's the meatballs, but today I wanted something sweet.

A coffee and cinnamon bun later, and back to it...

tea time

2009-02-03T12:36:00.014-05:00

Today was one of those days when a regular cuppa tea just wouldn't do...the craving had struck, and how! If you've ever had the pleasure of enjoying a good strong mug of Hong Kong-style milky tea, you'll agree, just the memory of its sweet, rich smoothness will make it impossible not to head on out and find a cuppa. (Immediately, if not sooner.)

And so, a special little trip was made just to pick up a few key items...gotta have the Carnation.

This stuff is strong. And unbelievably delicious when served with lashings of sugar and creamy goodness....

Making the brew. (It's steeped, har har.)

Adding the fixins...

...and next, curling up to a Flight of the Conchords marathon. A perfect afternoon!

guilty pleasures #1

2009-01-25T21:20:00.003-05:00

Oh, I've got them, do I ever! So here we go, the first of many, I'm sure...

...these remind me of the dog (har har) days of summer, afternoons down at the Exhibition with funnel cakes and ferris wheels. And lemonade, and tiny doughnuts...

You know what they say: so bad, it's gotta be good!

breakfast #3

2009-01-21T15:33:00.004-05:00

Being the egg lover I am, I was tickled pink to receive this cute-as-a-button set over the holidays, courtesy of the sweet boy.

(He likes to joke that I'm happiest when I'm eating. I might, if I were the sensitive type, get offended if it wasn't so entirely true...)

Seriously, though. Doesn't this just make you smile?

The egg cup must be one of the best little inventions in the world, if only as an accessory that an devoted egghead (eggophile? eggoist? hee hee, it's just too silly) can appreciate. What other food demands its own tiny pedestal on which it can be worshipped, really?

tap, tap, tap...

A great gift for the great ritual of eating a breakfast of a soft boiled egg. Thanks, D!

the gift of jerk

2009-01-18T10:15:00.002-05:00

Mmm, killer jerk sauce. Honestly, one of the coolest ideas for a holiday, nay, anytime present from our fabulous friend J. Definitely a tasty gift that keeps on giving!

J's note of holiday cheer, brought to you by a recipe for jerk chicken wings, sauce included.

Yes, these are instructions I can definitely follow.

J scoured the city looking for this specific bottle. Walkers Wood...amazing, spicy, and so, so flavourful; it's the real deal so pick it up if you can.

I would be inspired to try making my own, if this wasn't so darned good already.

And so, on this cold, cold afternoon we were definitely craving some warmth in our lives. We bought some chicken drumsticks, slathered them up in a goodly amount of delicious marinade and roasted the lot in a hot oven....oh, I wish you could have smelled the goodness!

Just a little side of brown rice and peas. See, greens!

Ummm....

...finger lickin' good.

Thanks for the wicked gift, J, you rock!

breakfast #2

2009-01-17T12:30:00.003-05:00

Got the juice goin' today! I finally unearthed our noisy little juicer from the depths of the cupboard so we could enjoy a bit of a kickstart to the day: freshly made carrot, apple, beet and ginger juice.

Hooray for antioxidants! We've got a few tiny local Kestral Farm carrots, a red beet...

...Ida Red apples from Algoma Farms and a tiny bit of organic ginger for that spicy kick.

I love that colour...bottoms up.

hail caesar!

2009-01-16T11:45:00.005-05:00

I always think of my great friend Steve whenever I make this salad...thanks for the lunch inspiration.

Caesar salad with sliced button mushrooms, boiled egg and parmesan shavings.

breakfast #1

2009-01-15T16:55:00.002-05:00

Oh, Oprah. So I had my fix recently (it's my secret daytime feel-good indulgence...and yes, I sure do want to live my best life!), and found myself inspired to start my day off all healthy-like.

So instead of my usual egg/butter/salt with toast and coffee, today starts with a pretty cup of green tea, organic yogurt, toasted walnuts, organic raisins and a dollop of buckwheat honey.

(I'm thinking about an Egg McMuffin for "second breakfast" already...)

comfort food #2

2009-01-11T18:20:00.004-05:00

An oldie but a goodie...

...yes, a good breakfast indeed!

i do love those noodles...

2009-01-06T13:45:00.001-05:00

A bit of a working lunch today. Soba noodles in a quick miso soup with broccoli, carrot, wakame seaweed and green onions...slurp!

in the kitchen: chomeur pudding

2009-01-05T00:13:00.002-05:00

So the weather outside is frightful, and you're craving something warm, sweet and totally indulgent; 'tis the season, after all. Well, kiddo, do I have just the thing for you!

Enter the chomeur pudding (or pouding, as they say in Quebec). This little doozy of a dish is something I first tried at Au Pied de Cochon, a spot justly (in)famous for its celebration of all things fatty and fun...just thinking about the foie poutine makes my heart beat just that much faster, for real.

Here's the deal; think warm, gooey maple syrup bathing a tender biscuit in all its sticky toffee glory. With a bit of cold pouring cream to help wash it all down...mmm, I just can't resist!

Chomeur Pudding

(I recently found out that this literally means a poor man's/unemployed person's pudding, since the very few ingredients could be found in even the barest of cupboards...so now there's definitely no excuse not to try this out!)

dough
3 eggs
6 oz butter
1 cup sugar
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt

syrup
2 cups maple syrup
2 cups 35% cream
pinch salt

Cream together your softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time until blended. Scrape down bowl and add flour, baking powder and salt.

Mix just until combined. The dough should feel quite sticky and gloppy, (that's the technical term) like a loose biscuit batter. Chill your dough at least 20 mins before using.

As for the maple syrup, um, syrup - it's as easy as bringing your cream, syrup and pinch of salt up to a simmer. Give it a stir and let it cool down. That's it!

Assembly time. You can do individual portions (may I gently suggest that smaller is better, these babies are rich) in oven safe bowls, or bake the whole lot in one large casserole dish.

Scoops of chilled dough...

...mostly covered with the maple syrup mix. And into a 350 oven.

The individual portions take about 15-17 minutes to bake. Your kitchen is going to smell amazing, by the way!

The only tricky part is letting them cool down enough so you can eat them without burning your face off. Sticky, sweet and oh sooo yummy...

...the only thing better is to have a supply of cold pouring cream handy (slightly boozed up with Jack Daniels, totally optional, but definitely recommended).

Unrepentant comfort food at its best; this is how I plan to survive the long winter ahead!

his 'n hers

2008-12-20T09:00:00.003-05:00

A rare occurrence at our place; not only did we both get up in time to make and eat breakfast at home, but we actually had enough fruits and berries lurking in the ol' kitchen so we didn't end up with the sleeping pill known as the beige/brown meal.

(You know what I'm talking about - as delicious as a proper fry up is, don't you just want to sink your head into the nearest pillow right afterwards?)

Oh, and we even made his and hers versions...it must be a full moon!

My girly plate.

I, for once, am trying to practice some (ugh) restraint these days...we'll see how long that lasts!

And for the boy...

I think I may want to have that bacon-fried egg-cheese-avocado sandwich for lunch...would that be wrong?

snow day!

2008-12-19T16:29:00.004-05:00

I'm watching the world outside turn into a giant snowglobe...

...and am so happy to be in my silly, fuzzy flannel pjs (pink and yellow stars and all).

It's time to snuggle on the couch for a Planet Earth marathon. Snow leopards, tigers and pandas, oh my!

comfort food #1

2008-12-06T19:50:00.005-05:00

Sometimes I secretly delight in miserable, gloomy days like today, if only for the excuse to cheer myself up with my favourite comfort foods.

This afternoon was grey and damp, followed by a great flurry of stinging sideways snow...

...which, in my humble opinion, is a day just made for mashed potatoes.

And old-school homemade meatloaf. And gravy!

(I hope it rains tomorrow.)

kitchen tour: intermezzo

2008-12-05T10:00:00.007-05:00

It's been ages since I visited the gut-busting, eye-popping evening otherwise known as the seven course tasting menu - if you'd like to catch up on where we left off, please click here. And now, here we go...

Betwixt and between, the intermezzo is a literally a showstopper held in between courses. This kitchen - as tradition goes - likes to serve a sorbet as a little palate cleanser.

Why the pit stop in your epic multi-course tasting menu? To give you (and your poor, overstimulated belly) a breather, for one, and well, sometimes it's kind of fun to show off.

Dishes made of bamboo boats and leaves.

Diced cape gooseberries in a touch of sweet-tart raspberry vinegar.

Ice, she is dry.

The pastry chef, K, with her lovely, almost effortless quenelles of strawberry sorbet.

Topped off with candied citrus zest.

Edible flower "confetti" as garnish.

Smoke and mirrors...

Imagine just how fun this would be...

...coming to your table?!

And even more exciting, this means we're only halfway through the meal! Now that you're refreshed, it's time to loosen that belt one more notch.

Up next, course number four...fish!

in mind's eye

2008-12-04T10:00:00.004-05:00

I love collecting images for my personal version of the "lookbook" for those blue-sky, ideal-world moments...so necessary when the days start getting colder and darker (like at five, what?!) and bright moments of inspiration become even more welcome than usual.

Every now and then, I get jolted by such delicious images that I can actually taste them in my head! This month's issue of Donna Hay magazine (the queen bee of food porn, to be sure) had me with the oozy quail egg and buttery, garlic laced pasta. Totally my kind of plate...is there anything better than a good butter pasta, I ask you?

And it just gets better inside...

Anyone who knows me will tell you just how much I adore cured/smoked salmon. Growing up, my Aunt W used to joke that I must be part grizzly bear as she handed over my traditional Christmas present...of a whole side of smoked salmon!

Oh the joys of a visual "cookbook" meal - almost as good as the real thing.

happy days #6

2008-12-03T09:00:00.004-05:00

My kind of lazy day. A book, a nap, some noodles. Yes....

I just love the way the word pappardelle sounds...

dr stuart, i presume...

2008-11-28T12:30:00.002-05:00

Extraordinarily good, indeed!

Not to mention pretty much the sweetest packaging I've seen in awhile...

Scents of lemongrass and peppermint...

...and dandilion and red clover.

So good for days when I need a tonic (and a mini-vacation from coffee!).

p.s. I'm trying out this new gadget called "following" - it's on the sidebar under Little Piggy Friends. Here's an invite to join in and follow along for new posts!

I'm interested to see how it all works out...please check it out if you have the chance!

in the kitchen: olive oil cake

2008-11-26T00:07:00.006-05:00

I've been puttering around a few ideas for the fall menu, so I thought it would be fun to show you what I've been up to!

I'm a visual kid; most of the ideas get scribbled down so I can get an overall sense of placement (it also helps to figure out if we actually have the equipment and ingredients ready to make the dish!). The larger sheet in the back has some of the original menu; the doodle on the ticket paper is an idea based on olive oil.

A taste-memory:
One of the boys at work recreated a tasty snack he had in Italy - a thin slice of crusty sourdough, grilled, then covered with dark chocolate shavings. The toast was placed under the broiler just until the chocolate melted, then drizzled with plenty of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of crunchy sea salt. Amazing to say the least; great crunch, nice sweet/savouriness, and a pleasant bitterness, all lubed up by the fruity olive oil. Mmm.

Another taste-memory:
My dear university boyfriend, happy to share some of his British-ness (and tired of me making fun of his Marmite toasts), gifts me with my first Terry's Chocolate Orange. Yum, I'm in love!

So, what is a gal to do, but play around with the idea of the olive oil cake...and here it goes.

B likes to name the equipment; the large food processor is called Robo-Cop.

A good olive oil is a must! I'm loving these orange and mandarin infused ones right now. (I blend them with a plain, fruity oil so it the batter doesn't get too perfume-y.)

Getting the ingredients together...

Cream the oil and sugar (check out the colour, by the way, how happy!), add orange zest, then eggs, then alternate additions of flour and milk. Really easy!

The batter is very loose, and bakes up very moist and rich, almost like a pound cake.

Butter and flouring the moulds. I pour the batter a third of the way up for the individual 3-inch cakes...and into a 350 oven for about 15-17 minutes.

The moist little cakes, ready for the plate...

Olive oil citrus cake with hazelnuts, orange confit and chocolate gelato with maldon sea salt.

olive oil cake

1 1/2 cups good quality olive oil
2 1/2 cups sugar
zest of 1 orange or lemon
3 eggs

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt

1 1/2 cups milk

In a large mixing bowl, cream together olive oil, sugar and zest until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time; mix in between each addition.

In a smaller bowl, combine dry ingredients.

To the oil/sugar/egg mixture, add half the dry mix; stir, then add half the milk. Stir in the remaining dry, then rest of the milk.

Pour batter into butter and floured moulds and bake in 350 oven.

(In this case, my 3-inch mini tins took about 17 minutes - I imagine a larger cake pan, say 9-inch, would take about 30 minutes...the cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out cleanly!)

Enjoy!

happy days #5

2008-11-23T18:45:00.002-05:00

With a serious hankering for some good ol' comfort food - it's been getting really chilly these last few days - we strolled on down to Manpuku...it rocks.

On the way, checking out the new addition to the AGO.

I like that the new restaurant inside is named Frank, for the architect and the style of food...clever.

More inspirational/quizzical building watching. I've heard tell that some think the OCAD addition looks like "a dalmation with a hard on"...wish I had snapped the giant red elevator shaft entering the top left side.

Anyhoo, time to check out the menu. We're hemming and hawing over whether to get the shigure don, the curry don (beef, pork, or veggie? It's all so good!)...

No hesitation here; having the takoyaki is a must.

One of the great things about this gem other than that it's clean and cozy and has really nice staff, is that the menu is pretty basic. I mean this in a really good way; there's nothing too elaborate or showy, and contains nothing that you wouldn't wish you could make at home for yourself for a comforting lunch or small dinner. It's all solid, simple, well seasoned, properly done food, which I can't stop gushing about whenever I'm lucky enough to find a great place that does it up right!

I'm probably not doing this much justice, so feel free to check out the actual menu here:

In the end, we ended up sharing...

Pork curry don: thinly shaved tender pork over an addictive mild, slightly sweet curry with some nice potato chunkage, over steamed rice.

Gotta have the togarashi.

Shigure don: I don't know a ton about the cut of beef used, but let me just say that it's tender and juicy, with a nice sweetness from the onion. Definitely one of my faves.

And then came the takoyaki! The server/part owner, I believe, let us know that these are made to order and so would take about ten minutes...and so worth the wait.

These awesome, tender nuggets are made from a batter poured into special cast iron takoyaki pans...

...and contain little morsels of octopus. So good.

On top, loop de loops of mayo, homemade takoyaki sauce, toasted seaweed and bonito flakes. I would probably go back there right this minute just to have these, they're so addictive.

Thank you Manpuku for such a happy lunch.

Manpuku
105 McCaul Street
(inside Village by the Grange)
open for lunch and dinner, closed sundays

www.manpuku.ca

before...

2008-11-19T22:11:00.004-05:00

(or the gift that keeps on giving...)

...and after.

happy days #4

2008-11-17T21:15:00.011-05:00

Even more so, because I celebrated my birthday! So, just a few things from here and there while D and I took in a few of our (well, mostly my, this time) favourite things...

The first treat of the day; a macchiato from Manic Coffee.

Fun posters for a film fest.

Waiting for the streetcar to take us to St. Lawrence Market...

hee hee!

Mmm, salty goodness.

We actually came to the market for our fave Breakfast sandwiches from Carousel Bakery. (That's slabs of peameal bacon, a fried egg and gooey orange cheese in a kaiser bun, oh, what I wouldn't give to have another one right now!) But we were really hungry and scarfed them back before I remembered to take a picture. Next time!

Holiday decorations already!

Unusual leaves in the city...so pretty!

It's starting to get dark pretty early these days...on our way home.

We met up with my mom for dinner at my favourite Japanese restaurant, Toshi Sushi, where we proceeded to gorge on the most delicious of dishes. Nabeyaki udon, served steaming hot in a clay pot, with lots of tempura goodies and (of course, my fave) a gently poached egg for good measure. Broiled scallops with dollops of miso mayo...and thinly sliced, grilled ox tongue...oh, and steamed baby eggplant with a sticky miso glaze, served in dashi and topped with wavy shavings of bonito. And of course, a gorgeous platter of sashimi...with a very special addition of some foie gras sushi! (Just in case that sounds icky, I should explain that the foie wasn't raw, but rather barely seasoned with mirin, then lightly broiled and topped with a dusting of grated ginger...buttery love.)

Some more happy moments...

Bubbles, and pink ones at that. Makes me want more excuses to celebrate!

I'm a lucky girl to have such wonderful friends...

I'm nervous about having this new beauty...water once a week, you say?

I've been dreaming about these stomping boots, can't wait to break them in!

I like it when gifts come wrapped in butcher paper...

...and even more when they contain insanely marbled kobe beef! Holy moly, how cool is that?!

More pretty cards and wrapping paper, perfect for the inspiration board.

an (early) winter tail

2008-11-11T14:00:00.003-05:00

Oh groan! I couldn't help it though; seeing all the goats and pigs and cows at this year's Royal Winter Fair got me all giddy and silly. I guess a nice thing about being a sad city girl like myself is that visiting livestock becomes a seriously fun even!

Taking the 509 down to the fairground.

Best floppy ears ever...don't they kinda look like dogs?

I think we went around nap time....

...because there sure was a lot of dozing going on!

Wheat kings and pretty things...

...and lots of cowboy hats to admire.

Hello, pretty, I like your nose ring!

This stand pretty was definitely the icing on the cake...or rather, the ice cream and gooey butterscotch on the freshly baked apple dumplings.

Spinning class.

And so the assembly line goes; freshly peeled and spun apples awaiting a generous topping of...

...mounds of dark brown sugar and cinnamon. I wish you could have been there to smell it all!

But wait, there's more!

The whole shebang gets wrapped up in squares of flaky pie dough.

Awaiting the oven.

And after, with the works: vanilla ice cream and wicked butterscotch sauce.

Oh, apple dumpling, how I love you!

It might seem impossible, but this might just be better than apple pie. I'm still all torn up about it, it's so hard to decide!

Bye moo cows, see you next year!

sammie lunch

2008-11-10T15:45:00.001-05:00

Of course, one of the best things about a roast chicken dinner is making sandwiches the next day!

I'm digging this new ezekiel bread, made with sprouted grains...

...and the chance to eat up some of the pea shoots too!

Today's lunch: chicken salad sandwich with red onion, avocado and pea shoots on sprouted whole grain bread.

Thank you roast chicken, the gift that keeps on giving...can't wait to make some steamy chicken noodle soup!

to market, to market

2008-11-09T13:16:00.001-05:00

I met my friend M this past thursday for a little field trip to the farmer's market at Dufferin Grove. What a fun, gorgeous, tummy-warming afternoon...we'll have to do it again soon!

Everything is golden!

We saw (and smelled) some focaccia with onions and rosemary being baked in the communal wood oven.

So inspiring...makes me want to eat my veggies.

A lovely man was selling homemade ginger beer and sorrel juice...very natural and sweet-tart tasting stuff.

We could not miss this: Butterfish sammie with fried plantains, avocado and pickled peppers and red onions....really, really good.

Some more unusual things we saw, local funny looking butternuts ...

...and tiny sweet chestnuts.

Contemplating bringing a loaf or two home.

We decided to treat ourselves to some seriously decadent hot cocoa and cookies.

And just in case you were wondering what I did bring home:

An itty bitty chicken from Beretta Farms, (the rest not shown) some local eggs, a cool looking bunch of tatsoi (I've never tried it before, looks like skinny baby bok choy, will let you know how that goes) and some pea sprouts.

I think the perfect fall afternoon put me in the mood for a nice roast chicken dinner...

Ready just in time to watch the new 30 Rock episode!

memories of a wee bit of tea

2008-11-07T13:32:00.014-05:00

The other day D was telling me about one of his childhood taste memories - his mom's homemade yogurt (lucky guy, huh?) scooped into a kiddie bowl, sweetened with greedy little spoonfuls of dark strawberry jam. A bit of swirling, slurping and happy times...mmmm!

Which got me thinking...

I've been a pretty active (enthusiastic? affectionate, perhaps?) eater these last three decades, and so have many, many madeleines, so to speak. The funny thing is, is that sometimes I blur my real memories with ones that I'm sure I haven't experienced myself, but rather have read in novels or seen in movies...tell me I'm not the only one?

A real memory: we have a bottle of chili oil (at my mom's house, kept in the middle door shelf of the fridge), of indeterminate age and provenance, although early 80's chinatown might be accurate, whose greasy orange label and fiery, sinus clearing, vaguely medicinal taste instantly reminds me of my dad's sunday afternoon ritual of noodle eating. Whether it was the instant Ichiban or the fancy fresh kind, he'd always douse his steaming bowl of soupy noodles with great rust-coloured lashings of that crazy oil. And then proceed to turn an alarming shade of purple and red. I was pretty little then, but I'm almost positive I remember hearing him swear under his breath, while inhaling deeply and nodding his head, right before throwing down another fire laced spoonful into the bowl.

The other morning, though, I had a funny, vaguely familiar recollection as I puttered about making some tea and eggs for breakfast. I'm really enjoying the super strong breakfast tea these days. I poured my cuppa and added the milk, and all of a sudden thought of a scene from Angela's Ashes. (I have to admit that I'm usually terrible at remembering names, events, sometimes even whole days, unless there's food involved, in which case, I'm your girl!)

These guys, by the way, are pretty much the most incredibly delicious eggs I've come across in awhile. Deep orangey yolks and all...

Another little treat I picked up, made from pastured cows in Quebec, lovely golden yellow creamy butter, mmmmm....

I remember being struck by one particular scene in the story where the main character, who has spent his childhood poor and constantly starving, living off of stale bread and strong milky tea (and in one melodramatic case, licking the grease from old fish and chip newspapers), is dreaming about the most outrageous of treats: a boiled egg.

I look at my brother Malachy. Did you hear that? Our own egg of a Sunday morning. Oh, God, I already had plans for my egg. Tap it around the top, gently crack the shell, lift with a spoon, a dab of butter down into the yolk, salt, take my time, a dip of the spoon, scoop, more salt, more butter, into the mouth, oh, God above, if heaven has a taste it must be an egg with butter and salt, and after the egg is there anything in the world . . .

And egg lover that I am, I haven't ever quite gotten that image out of my head. Funny how some things stick, isn't it?

And so, my new morning treat these days is a strong cup of breakfast tea and a little boiled egg. With butter and salt, of course.

to cottage we go

2008-09-07T23:26:00.006-04:00

With fall on its way, what with the promise of days lit by flame coloured leaves and brisk, crisp evenings, it was time for one last summer hurrah, which means of course, one last weekend at the cottage!

Ahhh....working on the toe tan.

Lazy sun.

A map for the herb garden.

And there it is...

...spicy globe basil, complete with its little white flowers and fat bumblebees buzzing about,

...silver tongued sage,

delicate sproutlets of parsley,

...followed by a bit of snipping and picking for dinner.

Speaking of, our meal to be; fat arctic char and plump scallops...

...wrapped in bacon, of course!

Here come the herbs - some basil for the scallops,

...and shiny buttery peas, to be finished off with roughly torn mint leaves.
(In the background, our pork chops wait for their turn on the bbq.)

Some leafy veggies to round it all out.

(I wanted to write Boy meets Grill...so cheesy, will you forgive me?)

Time to eat!!

The next day, things are looking equally promising with our afternoon snack...

Cold, cold Coleville Bay oysters, hot sauce and warm sun, my idea of a sweet day!

We took a boat ride later on to visit the rest of the area. With it being Labour Day weekend and all, most of the spots were very quiet.

Gas stop.

So lovely!

what a peach!

2008-08-28T23:42:00.012-04:00

A happy shopping trip indeed...

Oh so gloriously juicy, it's time again for the chin-dribbling, sticky-handed days of the peach.

Betcha can't eat just one!

happy days #3

2008-08-25T02:11:00.008-04:00

A few things seen and heard today...

A lovely day for bubbles.

Now if only I had a dog...

So refreshing, the original juice box!

This sign was about 12 x 12 feet, a good rival to Carrie's break-up Post It!

A Barcelona park bench, who knew?

We decided to hop on a boat and take a little ride around the lake...

Knotty.

Ahhh, a bit of wind in the sails...

Planes, kayaks and automobiles.

A good day to be a pirate.

Our trip included a bar...

...and kitchen!

The view from here...

Good curtains.

This almost doesn't look like Toronto.

I liked the artwork...that is one huge burger!

An installation piece in the flowerbeds...

...I thought it was quite pretty and sad at the same time.

Name that brick! Another memorial/installation piece.

And a beautiful rosy sunset to top it all off. Good night!

lazy meal

2008-08-20T22:50:00.005-04:00

A quick, light dinner for me tonight. My week started off with a bang - in the form of a staff meal named Porktine, yes that's poutine smothered in pulled pork, soo good - and I've been craving veggies ever since.

I do love those soft boiled eggs....

risk!

2008-08-17T23:18:00.008-04:00

A few scenes from a past weekend filled with eggs benny, champers and a bit of world domination....

Charge!

i heart pukkola!

2008-08-10T13:34:00.008-04:00

I go through these phases where I alternate between bounding out the door in the morning, gobbling down an espresso/coffee/cold cheese pizza/last night's chinese takeout noodles (yes, working in a kitchen does make your diet rather beige...) and then rather self-consciously decide, usually on a sunday (the one day I don't have to work, hooray) that it's high time I eat some real food, something feel-good, something vaguely healthy dammit!

It's on those days that I turn to my own instant version of the tried and true hippy dippy greatness that Jamie Oliver so sweetly calls pukkola...it's basically a loose recipe for bircher-style muesli, where rolled oats and dried fruits are soaked overnight in milk with a grated apple, and right before serving, topped with more fresh fruits.

Although I do like the pudding-like creaminess that the soaking gives the grains, I have to be honest and admit that I don't always have the wherewithal to plan my breakfasts, so I often go with my own version...

(my quickie adaptation of) Jamie's Pukkola

8 large handfuls of rolled oats
2 large handfuls of ground bran
1 handful of chopped dried apricots
1 handful of chopped dried dates
1 handful of crushed walnuts
1 handful of almonds, hazelnuts or brazil nuts

*I added some sunflower seeds and dried cranberries too...(I love "recipes" like this where you can add all your favourite things.)

Fresh fruits or berries; strawberries, blueberries and sliced bananas are my faves
Cold, cold milk

Combine all the dry ingredients. Will keep very well in an airtight plastic or glass container.

To serve, scoop a few spoonfuls of your muesli mix into your favourite bowl, add enough cold milk to cover and sprinkle liberally with cut fruit and berries. Or, you could sprinkle the muesli onto creamy yogurt and top it off with bananas, blueberries and honey....soooo good!

Pukkola, before. I was really lazy this time and didn't do the overnight soak, but even with a quick splash of milk (almond for me, yummy), it's still delicious.

All of my favourite dried fruits; cranberries, apricots and dates.

I couldn't decide between blueberries and raspberries, so both it is!

Berries, they rock.

I feel healthier just looking at this. (Does that make up for the poutine I had for dinner last night?)

I hope you give this recipe a try, whether it's the full deal, or my quickie version; it really is amazing. Enjoy!

happy days #2

2008-08-04T12:38:00.007-04:00

Another fun day, out and about town...

First stop, a walk through Kensington Market; it's car-free day, so be prepared for the friendly crowds!

I can't remember the last time I truly strolled. Isn't that such a great word?

New favourite (non-boozy, but with definite possibilities) drink for a hot day - fresh watermelon and lime slushies. Sooo refreshing!

Checking out the pie possibilities at Wanda's Pie in the Sky...we went with strawberry-rhubarb, our "contribution" to J's bbq later that evening.

Watch what happens when you leave a pile of colourful chalk pieces on the ground...

...collective street art!

Fun buskers, too.

He went from "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to Jackson 5...very versatile!

Dulce de leche cake and chorizo? Yes, please!

Cutest kid ever.

I was thinking of Amelie and one of her "likes", dipping a hand into dried lentils...

Jolie laide.

I like the facial expressions!

Lots of local stone fruit now in season.

Bbq inspiration...

Next stop, chinatown, where we picked up some freshly pressed sugarcane juice. (We later discovered that sugarcane, lime, Tanqueray and tonic is a very, very tasty beverage.)

Cat nap.

Next stop, T's baby shower!

Strawberry jello and pink cuppy cakes for the lovely mommy.

Onto J's bbq...this would be the "after" portion, post sangria-salsa-shrimp-skewer-ice-cream-sandwiches-oysters....a real feast!

...there's always room for pie!

gone fishin'

2008-07-31T02:06:00.001-04:00

Daily market fish special...

15 pound line-caught striped bass...

...you should've seen the one that got away!

hot dog, i love this shirt!

2008-07-26T12:22:00.002-04:00

Happiness is a sunny yellow tee...especially if it's done up in stylin' ketchup and mustard writing!

I found this perfect-for-me shirt (I never met a hot dog that I didn't like...) on one of my fave sites, threadless. I'm a big fan of the works from there because the tees, and now posters/prints, are all designed, submitted and voted on for printing by the users themselves. It's awesome to see some real rough n' ready, naively sweet offerings presented next to more polished, often playful works by established artists/illustrators/graphic designers. Love it!

This beauty is designed by Alex Trochut, a freelance graphic designer from Barcelona. And I have to say, I don't know if he meant for this design to be so very tongue-in-cheek, so I'll have to take a second out and tell you just why it rocks so much. (Because I like to overthink things sometimes. And I like food. And overthinking things about food...)

So here's the thing; the funny words (lorem ipsum delor sit amet...for all you latin majors) being spelled out by the squeezie bottles is part of a standard "dummy" text used by designers when presenting layouts, so that viewer, instead of being distracted by recognizable words, can concentrate on the overall visual flow and design of the work.

And for the food lover in me and you, this inside graphic nod totally translates into our funny world of playing with our food. Consider the Condiment, as is were. With ketchup and mustard being the total #1 and #2 on the essential list, it's great to think about just why they work. The mark of great condiments? They complement and enhance the main work, without drawing any excess attention to themselves.

A bit of a stretch? Maybe. All I know is that I'm totally craving a hot dog now...

happy days #1

2008-07-23T02:50:00.009-04:00

A few shots from a lovely weekend spent with lovely friends...

Ahhh, cottage.

Waking up early in a different room, crisper and colder than in the city...

Sometimes a change of scenery is all you need. The view from our guest bedroom.

Our handsome companion, Ben. (I think he smells toast scraps!)

Spying on the birds as they have their breakfast; taking a walk down the path...

I love the red Muskoka chairs!

Fishing lures fascinate me. Think the fish can tell?

mmm...shiny.

I can still feel the breeze...

My perfect afternoon.

To be followed by the greatest Scrabble spot, ever!

Bubbles and board games, a match made in heaven.

Best scrabble food word of the evening, by M: confit!

M's amazing mom made a blueberry pie for dessert. Totally delicious.

A perfect way to end the day. Thanks so much for having us!
(Can we do this again next weekend?)

peas please!

2008-07-20T22:01:00.005-04:00

Just a quickie about a craving I had today.

Bacon and peas...yes please!

consider the tomato

2008-07-03T03:35:00.002-04:00

Nothing says the feel-good days of summer are here quite like finding juicy heirloom tomatoes at the market. Of course, we do see them year round, perfectly pert c-cup specimens, gassed and flown in firm from greenhouses across the country, but as the boys like to say with a squeeze and a wink, there's nothing like the real thing, baby. (Ah, cooks; gentlemen and scholars, pirates and dirtbags, all rolled into one!)

So as I admire the bevy of uniquely shaped beauties before me, I count myself very fortunate as I consider the lovely goodness that is the tomato.

Isn't there something just so fascinating about these offbeat beauties? Just like the Sofia Coppolas or Sarah Jessica Parkers of the salad world...

Not that you'd need one, what with the simple tasty ease and beauty of the tomato, but here's an idea/very loose recipe of sorts to make the easiest little salad...

simple tomato and ricotta salad

1-2 of the most beautiful, ripe heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes you can find (at room temperature!)
a few good pinches crunchy sea salt, such as Maldon
coarsely cracked black pepper
2-3 large spoonfuls of fresh ricotta
good quality extra virgin olive oil

Slice your lovely tomatoes and arrange on your plate or shallow bowl of choice. Season very lightly with sea salt and pepper.

Drop light spoonfuls of the milky white ricotta over your juicy tomato slices. Finish with another light sprinkle of sea salt and a turn of pepper. Follow with a few glass-green glugs of olive oil. Serves a peckish pair, or one greedy tomato lover.

I could honestly eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it's so satisfying...enjoy!

Adventures in Graceland, Part One...

2008-05-21T00:31:00.013-04:00

So I'm happy to report that first, yes, I am still up and blogging (it has been awhile, I know) and that second, that we crazy kids at the restaurant have totally hit the ground running these last two weeks!

I've personally had the time of my life going to the food terminal (for my first time ever...let me tell you, that is a place with serious personality, and at 7am too, to spare!), running around the local market looking for jerusalem artichokes and fresh ricotta, writing up my very own dessert menu, prepping for our first friends and family, then a media dinner, with time to go to our dear friends' wedding somewhere in all the madness! Definitely no sleep for the wicked, that's for sure.

So yes, this post is a bug gush-fest for all those exciting things that unfortunately, due to overstimulation and sheer exhaustion, I'm afraid I don't have the most succinct or accurate descriptions of...hopefully with time (and more than three hours of sleep, eep!) the details will return, but until then, some pictures!

The divinely plump and homey banquettes...

I honestly just love how warm and inviting the space feels.

Hello, fresh trout. Prepare to be smoked! Um, no really.
(See House smoked trout, with potato and green bean salad with buttermilk dressing...mmm, buttermilk.)

Ramps ahoy! The bottoms get a quickle (that's a quick pickle, yes) to be served with the house pate, as well as the leg of lamb with fava beans. The green parts get used as a leafy bed when D smokes the trout...so clever!)

As for me, I spend a fair share of my day contemplating apples. Consider the firmness of the Ida Red, as contrasted with the tart bite, yet softer (cooked) texture of the Macintosh...ah, the ideal baking pair, say for...apple pie?

I am such a girl. Yes, I punched out hearts to put on the mini pies. Yes I did.

Baked pie-lets, awaiting cinnamon ice cream and whisky caramel...

Some other dishes we're doing right now. Scallop with cucumber pernod sauce, fried capers and charred cherry tomatoes to start...

Followed by one of my faves, the port steak with bone marrow, potato salad, green beans and good old fashioned gravy. (You might recognize the steak idea in its infancy with D trying it out for our dinner one night...) I just totally dig the whole board. It's such a simple sunday-style dinner, you really can't go wrong!

It's also comforting to know that people are enjoying what we're putting out there (check out the first reviews here, here and here) - it's all a bit nerve wracking to send out your best but still first attempts, your babies, as it were, out into the dining room and wait with baited breath to find out how it will be received.

To that end, if anyone out there reading this has some honest (meaning useful!) feedback about their experience with us, I'd love to hear it. We want to do a fabulous job!

Until next time...happy eating!

Grace Restaurant
503 College Street
Toronto ON M6G 1A5

opening soon!

2008-05-03T16:37:00.007-04:00

Sorry I've been MIA for the last bit...it's been a crazy week, but I'm happy and super excited to announce that our brand spanking new restaurant, Grace, will be open as of this tuesday!

My sweetie, D, will be heading up the kitchen as chef, our great friend D as his sous, with lil' ol me dishing out desserts and cheese. Grace, named after the owner's grandmother, will be serving up modern farmhouse fare; comfort classics that remind you of your favourite sunday dinners, done up clean and light. Think braised short ribs with house-made bbq sauce, sweet potato and creamy coleslaw, house smoked trout with fingerling potatoes and green beans, roast leg of lamb with fava beans and roasted sunchokes, and for dessert, old fashioned mini apple pies with roasted cinnamon ice cream and Jacked (as in Daniels) caramel....

The owners actually come from a family of farmers and apple growers, and so we'll be doing them proud by using everything fresh and local that we can get our hands on; D just came back from an overnight trip foraging for wild ramps, and lucky me, I've been gorging myself this week on some great Ontario and Quebec cheeses (research purposes, of course) to put on our cheese menu.

Here are some before and after photos, just to preview - much more info to come!

The previous incarnation was a modern resto-supper-club-fusion-champagne-lounge...

pretty details

so much cleaning to do!

the makeover in progress...

reclaimed butcher block style table tops, waiting for cast iron bases

the inner courtyard is amaaazing...so much light!

slowly but surely, the details are coming together...

um, for mise only...and a shot of courage when the sleepies set in!

tah dah!

Pictures of L's family, which include Grace's wedding photos, line the walls.

The courtyard all dressed up!

the master plan. it was late...don't ask. :)

Grace Restaurant
503 College Street
Toronto ON M6G 1A5
www.gracerestaurant.ca (still under construction...coming soon!)

kitchen tour: main course

2008-04-23T02:26:00.002-04:00

The thing about tasting menus is that, well first, if you're lucky enough to have scored a reservation/expense account/significant occasion special enough to warrant a multi-course celebration - that aside of course - is that by the time you've settled in, had a drink to quell the excitement and gobbled down those first dainty and exquisite mouthfuls...well, you're worried, because despite your best intentions, you're getting full before the main course even hits.

(This is a musing of the hypothetical sort, in the vein of What would Ina do? Add cream or butter? Or both? as I clearly don't - but really wish I did - quite have the loot yet to support my dreamy dining fantasies. Until then, muse I shall...)

Whatever is a determined eater to do? As a favourite cook and mentor likes to say: "In times like this, you gotta get rich and switch."

Which is exactly what this kitchen does. The biggest, powerhouse main courses, usually served near the end of the meal, come first. Memento-style, the rest of the courses unravel backwards, going from meat to sea, then to lighter shellfish before ending with a final flurry of dessert. Imagine that!

What a relief and comfort to know that this way, you really can have your venison, foie, scallop and molten chocolate cake and eat it too.

Genius.

The call is in, the hot line gears up for some action...

Just as with the multiple amuses, each of the courses are offered in two variations; this way, each pair of diners is presented with a different version of the same course. (Cool and crazy, yes. It's good to keep things interesting, isn't it?)

Braised beef, potato and leek puree, milk foam

Lids for a luxurious version of Lion's Head, a kind of braised pork meatball "hotpot". (I missed the finished dish, but you can see a more traditional version of this dish here.)

And here comes the foie course...

L, lucky man, is the guardian of those fatty lobes of (heartwarming, or stopping?) love we call foie. Check out his sweet knife, by the way.

Hot food, hot plate!
Veg cook M grabs them nice and hot from the steamer.

Plating up inside hand-spun potato rings.

The line at work...veg, meat and sauce time it out so everything comes together.

J the saucier, working it out with his trusty spoon.

Bison and foie, roasted root veg, rice tuile, cognac apple puree

Venison and foie, braised daikon, berry glaze

D, sous chef and expediter extrordinaire, does a final check before sending the plates out...

Fave D line: "It's not a football! Carry it straight! "

After that delicious assault of all things pork and foie, I too would welcome a slight breather, a quiet respite for my (hypothetically) taxed tastebuds...

Curious, I did hear the word intermezzo in the air. Up next!

gimme s'more!

2008-04-21T01:18:00.002-04:00

I have to say a great big thank you to the fine folks at cakespy for posting about the unbelievably fabulous creations coming out of Trophy Cupcakes. I know I've always been a visual kid, but it's not very often that I come across an image that leaps out and speaks to me (and my belly, of course) so loudly that I just have to go ahead and make the darn thing for myself.

I'm talking, of course, about the awe inspiring S'more Cupcake. Oh, Trophy, you are madpeople and geniuses all at once!

Here's hoping the feeling is contagious; to all the bakers and cuppy cake lovers out there...let the cupcake madness begin!

And so, we begin...

One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes
(adapted from Martha Stewart)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

2 large whole eggs, plus 1 egg yolk (save the white for frosting!)
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups warm water (you can substitute coffee, or be boozy like me and sub in Baileys for 1/4 cup of the water...mmm!)

*I should mention that the "official" recipe for the original version is on Martha's website here, but based on some of the comments, I thought I'd stick to a recipe that I've used before, and trust. (Martha will always be my hero, even if a few of her recipes are a little wonky.)

Preheat your oven to 350 while you gather all of your ingredients. Oh, and line two regular cupcake pans (that's 24 cupcakes in total) with those cute paper cups.

Measure out all the dry ingredients and dump into a large bowl...

To the dry, add all the wet ingredients; stir to combine into a smooth mix.

That's it for the cupcake batter; onto the part that makes it s'moreish....

Graham Cracker Base

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp melted butter

1 Hershey's bar, chopped in rough chunks

Combine the graham cracker crumbs and butter.

Scoop about a rounded teaspoon of the crumbly mix into each paper cup. There will be some left over; save this for the topping!

Pat the mix down to form a mini "crust". (Shot glass to the rescue!)

Try very hard not to eat the whole bar...stupid willpower!

Chop chop!

Put a little sprinkle of chopped chocolate on top of the graham base; cover with cupcake mix.

I filled mine about three-quarters full...
(*strange, but this recipe usually makes 24 cupcakes on the nose. This time I had a bit left over, most likely because of the extra bits of graham and chopped chocolate I added. No worries, put the extra in a ramekin to bake for a little bonus treat!)

Sprinkle the rest of the graham cracker mix on top. (I went a little crazy and put more chocolate chips on top as well; no such thing as too much chocolate, is there?)

Bake about 15 - 20 minutes.
Do the toothpick test to check if done, but remember there will be gooey melted chocolate in the middle! (I also rotated the pans about halfway through so everything baked evenly.)

Tah Dah! So cute..but wait, there's more!

I could pack a few of these back right now, but I will be patient, because now it's time for...

Gilding The Lily (aka Marshmallow Frosting)
(adapted from allrecipes.com)

2 cups white sugar
3 egg whites (make sure these are very clean, no yolk bits!)
2 tbsp light corn syrup (I used honey, and it worked out fine)
3 tbsp cold water
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt

Combine all in a stainless steel bowl and set on top of a pot of simmering water. Whisk constantly (electric beaters would've been great here, but old fashioned elbow grease will do just fine!) until mixture is glossy and holds a stiff peak when whisk is lifted.

This counts as my exercise for the day! Once the whites reach stiff peak, remove from heat and keep on whisking until mix cools down. Let it hang out while you locate your pastry bag (or large Ziploc with the corner cut off).

Pipe frosting. Admire. Pipe some more.

Ah, how satisfying to see a little cupcake army forming....

If you're really gonna do it up, and have been itching to use that torch (and who doesn't, really?), now is the time to bust it out! Just remember, light away from the face...

The best part about the frosting is that when it sits for a bit (about an hour, say) it will go crispy on the outside, but still be squishy and marshmallowy in the middle...gaah, it's awesome!

The end result. Chocolatey, crunchy, squishy goodness. Mmm...

Yes, yes, gimme s'more! Enjoy!

hello, dumpling!

2008-04-17T21:45:00.001-04:00

Sometimes a favourite food can be so inspirational, so mouthwateringly hug-worthy, that one has no choice but to sing its praises, in whatever convoluted form that may take.

Say, a haiku, for example:

O porky dumpling
my chopsticks bow, O Plump One
dip dip dip dip yum!

Hmm, needs work, but you get the picture. I do luuurve me some dumplings!

The bundles come helpfully labeled...this time it's pork and chive. (Second favourite: lamb and coriander)

We indulged the other night in some beautiful handmade dumplings, bought from a tiny local restaurant (they make them so much better than I ever could, plus it's a great instant lazy-night meal). This place specializes in the northern Chinese style of dumpling making, offering hand rolled, hand formed, wheat flour based shuijiao (boiled dumplings) and guotie (potstickers).

The handmade floury wrappers are wonderfully tender, yet have a bit of pleasant toothiness to them.

We decided to take some uncooked, freshly made bundles of goodness home with us, so we could cook and feast with (private) abandon.

Pajama dining. It's a guilty secret pleasure. Tell me I'm not alone?

I love lots of ginger in the dipping sauce...

About the dipping sauce: I'm all in for the fridge-raid version, which includes glugs and dashes of varying proportions of soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha and other chili spiked condiments, but sometimes the clean and old-school rules.

I highly recommend that you try this, if only once (and if you aren't just crazy about it already), just to see how incredible two simple little ingredients can make the best, and easiest, dumpling sauce. Ever!

Ready? Mince, grate or finely chop some fresh ginger. Pour a dash of black vinegar (I like the Gold Plum brand, pictured below) over and let it infuse with bracing gingery goodness. That's it! (You gotta try it, you'll become a convert, I promise.)

A dumpling must-have! Black vinegar, made from glutinous rice; its mellow tang could maybe, if totally desperate, be replicated with a bit of not-too-sweet balsamic.

A bit of ginger prodding helps infuse the vinegar. (Plus it's fun to do too!)

And so...gingery sauce? Check. Pot of water bubbling away, dumplings standing by? Check. Pajamas on, Dexter dvd playing? Check and check! Ooh, it's gonna be a great lazy night!

Today, we boil.
(Sometimes if we're craving the crispy golden goodness we do the pan fried version.)

A big plate to share...although I have been known to get in quite a few all on my own!

Plump. Juicy. Porky. Mmmm....

They went pretty fast; maybe I should've made just a few more....

Yes, delish! Thank you, dumpling, for being your plump, fabulous self. Until we meet again!

memories of an oyster picnic

2008-04-15T23:15:00.003-04:00

So it's been a little while since the last post; I've been felled by a great smacking head cold for the last few days and the meds have make me reluctant to stare at a computer screen for much more than facebook updates (sad but true)...but today I'm back up and at 'em - or up and at them, rather - and as always, huuuungry!

It's been bright and spring-like the last couple of days in the old T.O., quite promisingly so. And so, through my blanket wrapped, neo-citran addled haze, I've been daydreaming about all the lovely things I would do once I became footloose and fancy free again.

I've had, most recently, oysters and caviar on the brain. That, combined with a little selective bedside reading (in the form of, hmm, a promisingly spring-like themed cookbook about picnics) led me to swoony, misty-eyed memories of a picnic D and I had last year, complete with our improvised version of an oyster plate...funny how such things come full circle!

Just think, picnic season is just around the corner again...(yes, I am an eternal optimist!)

But really, does this just not promise a great afternoon in the works?

There is something to be said about the very idea of a picnic, isn't there? Something hopeful, naive, even, or as my trusty cookbook muses:

Picnic. It's one of those evocative words...an invocation, images rising up like clouds of mosquitoes; car blankets and wicker hampers, soft linen and Merchant Ivory films, buzzing summer meadows and springtime sylvan romance. That's a lot for six little letters to carry...

It's true, you could let the occasion get all bogged down by too much baggage, if you let it. Better yet to do the impromptu thing and grab a backpack, fill 'er up with some essential tools, and hope to get some great supplies on the way to the park...

Tools of the trade.

Some sweet stuff to snack on...cold cherries and fizzy cc lemon. Instant dessert!

We are, thank goodness, lucky enough to live in an area that boasts one of the tastiest oyster houses in town, located on the south edge of one of the loveliest parks in the city. Talk about (culinary) kismet!

Me attempting to shuck on our impromtu board - yay for frisbees!

D works it out freehand - showoff....

Cold, briny goodness on a sunny day. How great would a frosty beer be with this? (Hmm, idea for next time...)

The wreckage after. Such tasty goodness, sticky fingers be damned!

Of course, the restaurant version of this experience is all well and good, and if done very well, definitely inspiring and entertaining. In this case though, no amount of table service or crumbing or wine pairing suggestions could have made this day any sunnier or more thoroughly enjoyable. (What's not to love about an oyster picnic anyways?) As the saying goes, wherever you go, there you are.

Ain't that the truth. Pass the oysters, please!

kitchen tour: oyster plate

2008-04-10T00:20:00.003-04:00

There are just some things in this world that are so ludicrously decadent, so obviously, campily chic, that to offer them - in this case, in the perfect trifecta of oysters, bubbly and caviar - all at once, is almost laughably redundant.

With this tasting menu, there is an option to up the ante with an extra course of pure food bling and loooove.

Of course, we'll be having the oyster plate! With the caviar business! And the champers! (After all, we like sunshine and rainbows and kittens, don't we?)

Yes...Bring. It. On!

Cast irons/sizzle plates awaiting blini-ing. D, the sous, asks, "You keeping an eye on that?"

Hot plate seasoned and ready to go.

Ooh, a whole lotta blini love!

Quick question: why is it that so many things taste better in miniature? Don't dig a whole house of pancakes, but a stack of blini, that I could crush. (Of course, it does help that they come with chives and caviar. Mmmm, imagine, IHOB...)

St. Simons awaiting their accessories. Back: dressed with aged sherry mignonette.

What could make this even better? Why, that would be itty bitty quail eggs! Yesss!

Freckled and speckled, like graffitied faberges.

Need a sharp little paring knife to crack them open.

Into the poaching vessels they go (those would be tart shells "borrowed" from pastry station).

It's almost bathtime...

McGyvering the poach - mason jar rings holding tart shell, suspended by perforated hotel pan over water bath!

And out the eggies come...

The two tiered platter. Top: Taro dauphines, chive creme fraiche (caviar to follow), blini with radish (quail egg and caviar, likewise). Bottom, L to R: St. Simons with bacon vinaigrette, aged sherry mignonette, preserved lemon puree and green oil.

I think I could eat a whole platter of these by myself....

A few finishing touches...

And away for pick up...

Sigh. Isn't it all so lovely? Here's wishing you these champagne dreams and caviar wishes...

Next course, the mains!

an ode to the egg

2008-04-08T09:30:00.004-04:00

So you may have noticed that I'm pretty much obsessed with eggs - maybe just a wee bit more than cheese, or bacon, or avocados, ok, so I love those too - who can pick a favourite child, really?

I did, in fact, initially consider naming this blog in honour of the incredible, edible egg, ("The Banana and the Egg" was one idea - very nerdy, I know, after the boy and I - but then I realized that I'd be the banana, no fun!) so great is my love for this most versatile and often overlooked ingredient.

I decided on "This Little Piggy" simply because that's the nickname my dad gave me when I was barely knee high. Apparently even then I was quite the curious kid when it came to mealtime, asking for pho with extra rare shaved beef as a sunday treat and freaking my mom out with my requests for oysters and steak tartare for my 8th birthday dinner.

It was my dad who sold me on the simple things, walking before running, as it were. In his mind, an egg was not just an egg, it was a means for me to learn how to begin at the beginning, understanding the small before attempting the big. And, ah so, I was his little grasshopper, his little piggy, eating my way through the lessons.

To this day, I still love everything about the egg. And about keeping it simple!

Simple Arugula Salad with Soft Poached Egg

a single, lovely egg, freerange and organic if you can swing it
2 small handfuls baby arugula, rinsed, dried off and kept crisp in the fridge
nice wedge of Parmesan cheese, for shaving (the more the merrier, in this case)

a good quality extra virgin olive oil
lemon juice, or white wine vinegar
flaky sea salt and pepper

First off, get a small pot of water on to poach your egg. Your vessel of choice should ideally be just big, low, and wide enough for you to slide in said egg easily - like slipping into a hot bath - and comfortably retrieve it with the slotted spoon you have standing by.

Season your simmering water with just a dash of vinegar and/or lemon juice; this helps keep the egg white together while it poaches, rather that floating prettily away like so much egg drop soup.

Gently slide your egg into the barely simmering water. Wait a moment to let things set a touch; give the liquid a slight stir if the egg needs a bit of coaxing to hold its shape.

Lovely baby arugula, ready to be dressed.

As it poaches away, assemble the rest of the salad. In your bowl of choice, toss together your arugula with a light drizzle of olive oil and a very small squeeze of lemon juice (or a little drop of vinegar, if that's what you're using). Season your leaves with a pinch of salt and pepper; toss lightly with your fingertips until everthing is just barely slicked.

As the saying goes, a great salad should be dressed like a beautiful woman; adequately, but lightly.

Use a vegetable peeler or grater to shave your parm over the dressed greens.

By now, your egg should be done. (The whites will be, well, white, but still quite tender, encasing your lovely soft-set yolk. Yum.) Remove with your handy slotted spoon, blot gently to get rid of any excess liquid; set in your awaiting nest of arugula and parmesan shavings.

Another great thing; the warmth of the egg ever so slightly wilts the arugula...delicious!

Drizzle over a touch more of that olive oil. A pinch of crunchy salt and a turn of pepper should do the trick as well.

Again, one of my favourite things, ever. The poking of the yolk; so satisfying!

A great, easy way to get your greens too...eat up, eat up, it's good for you! Enjoy....

kitchen tour: first course

2008-04-05T12:25:00.004-04:00

Like a witty, playful preface to a great novel, or a jaw-dropping opening act to an established band, the amuse bouche both sets the tone and perks up the senses at the start of the meal, promising all the great things yet to come.

You diggin' this? the bite-sized morsels say,

Hold on to your hat, sister, we're just getting started...

The amuse station. Dry storage located just beyond.

In this kitchen, there is a team dedicated solely to the amuse station. Some may consider it a breaking-in ground for newer cooks; the station both requires and teaches, among other things, organization, timing, teamwork, creativity, attention to detail and a sense of urgency. The plates may be small, but their impact is huge; first impressions are lasting ones!

Chinois, both coarse and fine, used for passing liquids and purees til velvety smooth.

The amuse team at work.

Some last minute dressing.

Front: Quail egg with miso mustard. Back: Soy custard with spinach, soy mirin dressing.

Consider them composed dishes in miniature form; each mouthful is presented as a concentrated palette of flavours, a spoonful of primary colours, as it were.

Taking stock of the numbers, before final plating and garnishing.

Crispy tofu, basil, pineapple.

Confit cherry tomato, chipotle mayo crostini.

Back: Wuxi pork tart, confit potato.

Fish croquettes

Plates lined up, waiting for the call.

As each table is seated and settled in, the chits start rolling and the orders start flooding in:

Two amuses, one vegetarian!
Three amuses, one no shell!
Four amuses!
Two amuses, how long?

Did I mention that at this restaurant, each diner receives not one or two, but three separate amuses?

(Playful? Yes. Intricate? Yes. A possible holy hell of a headache if the wheels start falling off? Hell yes! But that's what makes it fun....)

Finished plates, ready for pick up.

Pig ear terrine

Skewer gets spicy peanut sauce, crostini gets basil sprout and guac, quail egg gets caviar...

Sharing platters for larger tables.

Lobster and tomato water jelly, purple basil sprout.

Foie pate, wild blueberry preserves, spiced mantau bread.

As the first wave of amuses are sent out, the other stations are set in motion; meat, veg, sauce, you're up next...

And the diners outside, delighting over the wee dishes set before them?

Fabulous, they say, we are amused.

A few of my favourite things...

2008-04-03T17:21:00.018-04:00

It looks as if spring has finally sprung today; I had my first strolling-whilst-licking-ice-cream-cone and shorts-with-shiny-flats sighting this afternoon! (The latter definitely being more hopeful/wistful than the former - we Torontonians are such an optimistic bunch when it comes to the weather.)

The cheery sunshine has got the ol' mojo working, and like bear coming out of hibernation, I feel as if I'm starved for some serious grub. As someone who likes thinking about food nearly as much as eating the actual thing, days like this are a sort of all-you-can-eat mental buffet. I've got a couple of my favourite things on the brain, some snacks that always please, some dishes to inspire, tastes I can't wait to try again, and those few special things I just can't live without.

Dedicated to those raindrops on roses and those wee little whiskers on kittens, here, are just a few of...you know:

Dumplings

Gyozas

First, and perhaps closest to my heart, dumplings. Potstickers, gyozas, be they steamed, boiled or fried, the dumpling in all its individually wrapped, crispy, juicy bite-sized glory is truly a thing of beauty.

Men At Work (does anyone else remember this band?)

Behold, the shao long bao!!

It's my own personal belief that the absolute king of dumplings has got the be shao long bao. (The most awesome example of which my friend M and I had the good fortune to sample in a ram packed dumpling house in Shanghai...another story there!) Mmm, tender soup-filled dumplings. The black vinegar and ginger dipping sauce is pretty much the best thing ever too.

Caprese salad, with mozzarella di buffala

I have a very special spot in my heart (and several in my belly, it seems) for buffalo mozzarella. I will, and have been known to inhale a whole blob of its silky concentrated dairyness, a la Nigella, that is, by myself, late at night, as I sneak away from the fridge.

Chocolate croissants from St. Lawrence Market

Nothing satisfies my sweet tooth better.

Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk, to finish a meal, at Pho Hung.

I love the set-up. Condensed milk in mug? Check. Grounds a brewin' percolating down? Check. Thermos of hot water handy? Check. Eat that, Starbucks!

Underneath lies sweet creamy coffee love.

The parmesan dusted fries at Thuet.

Crispy, cheesy, deep fried goodness.

A whole platter of potatoes, deep fried, then tossed in parmesan cheese. What kind of genius is that? (Think poutine with these would be overkill?)

Mrs. Whyte's ridiculously huge pickle (serves 2)

This mamba jamba is hee-ooge. Like kind of giggle and blush big.

I think this may be the same brand that gets served with Scwartz's killer smoked meat sandwiches. Either way, this is the perfect pickle. Great pucker to crunch ratio!

The fresh pasta guy, Saturday mornings at the market.

Am I the only one that gets excited by reading this sign?

Like a grown up, and infinitely tastier, version of our childhood Plah-Doh sets...

The start of an amazing meal...

Black truffle-infused pecorino moliterno

My current cheese obsession.

This, shaved over your lovely fresh pasta, drizzled with a touch of extra virgin olive oil...my idea of heaven!

Artichokes; boiled, fried, baked, roasted....

And dipped in butter, or aioli, or simply tossed in olive oil and a bit of lemon, or served raw, cleaned and very thinly sliced, tossed with arugula and parmesan shavings...

Tomatoes with a sprinkling of crunchy Maldon sea salt

Oh, this makes me wish summer would hurry up and get here already!

Crunch. Squish! The best part is that your face actually makes a smile when you bite into a tomato like this...you can't help but be happy!

So, those are just a few of my faves...what about yours?