rgruby

I just picked up the Toronto Life Food & Wine Guide for 2005. (I think, but am not positive, that it comes with the December '05 edition of the magazine). Many suggestions on where to find x, y or z in TO. For example, it notes that Hyuan Dai Food at Parliament & Gerrard carries radish and cabbage kimchees. So, there's a source of kimchee to the east of downtown (well, not really I guess, but east of Yonge. Does that count?). I've sort of flipped through the Guide and it looks pretty useful. Cheers, Geoff Ruby

I have searched and searched for these with no success so I will be watching to see if anyone else has found them in the GTA. ← I've never seen frozen ones... And I wasn't sure if I caught what you were saying, Madge, but are the frozen ones pre-peeled and therefore more convenient? Me, I don't mind the peeling too much. If it helps, I bought some fresh ones a few weeks back - from a Dominion I think. (Alternate suggestion: buy some fresh ones, then peel them - if that's what they first do with the frozen ones - then stick them in the freezer. Voila! ) ← Are the ones in the jars in pickling solution already peeled? Perhaps you could use those? Cheers, Geoff Ruby

Downtown, the options are pretty limited I think. Rashnaa at Wellesley and Parliament has been around for a while. It had an offshoot on Spadina for a while - run by relatives I think - that came and went a couple of times. It is now in a went stage. There's a place on King around Dufferin that I've never tried. I suspect that the suburbs are a much better bet for Sri Lankan, and my knowledge thereof is scant. So, yes, more about Sri Lankan restos, favourite dishes etc. Cheers, Geoff Ruby

I've been looking for awhile, haven't seen any either... ← Not sure if it was in Kensington, SLM, or both. Pretty sure the place on the corner of Augusta and Baldwin had them though. ← They had them at the fruit stand next to the bahn mi place on Spadina. ← I picked up a few from the corner store at Kensington Market. Some of them weren't in too good shape though. Thanks guys! ← Sunwah, I think it is, SE corner of Augusta and Baldwin, has quinces at the moment. If I pick a few up, what do I do with them? Cheers, Geoff Ruby ← The place downstairs at SLM has them ( it also has dried morels - which I think were mentioned above, and sorrel, which I would have added to this list if I'd remembered. They also have sunchokes at the moment). I picked up a couple today. So, what can I do with them? Cheers, Geoff Ruby

I've been looking for awhile, haven't seen any either... ← Not sure if it was in Kensington, SLM, or both. Pretty sure the place on the corner of Augusta and Baldwin had them though. ← They had them at the fruit stand next to the bahn mi place on Spadina. ← I picked up a few from the corner store at Kensington Market. Some of them weren't in too good shape though. Thanks guys! ← Sunwah, I think it is, SE corner of Augusta and Baldwin, has quinces at the moment. If I pick a few up, what do I do with them? Cheers, Geoff Ruby

Anybody seen yuzu here? Cheers, Geoff Ruby

Fish en pappillote (did I spell that correctly?) Take a piece of parchment paper, fold in half, and cut so it would look like a heart whan unfolded. Put a piece of fish (I like a mild, white fleshed one for this), a knob of butter (and/or a bit of EVO), a small glug of white wine, S & P, a few julienned veg (I like carrot, fennel, and maybe some red pepper for colour) and close. (There is a bit of a technique to this - perhaps better seen than explained, but here goes. Starting at one end, fold over the parchment with a sharp crease(maybe an inch or two at a time). The next fold should overlap the previous one, and so on, until the packet of fish and veggies is totally enclosed.) plop on a tray, and put it in a medium oven. If you've done it correctly, the parchment will hold most of the moisture, and the ingredients will steam happily together. It will puff up when it's done. Take to the table and cut open - careful, it will release a lot of steam, but that steam releases all the wonderful aromas that have been melding together. The only drawback - you can't actually see what's happening, so judging the cooking time may be a bit tricky (but once you've done it a couple of times you can adjust for your oven, the size of the fish and amount of other stuff in the packet). I also just realized I've suggested three fish dishes, and I actually don't cook fish all that often. Hmm. Maybe my own thread is telling me something. And, a question. Has anybody done this in aluminum foil? I can't see any reason this wouldn't work just fine in foil. Perhaps it would seal too well and you'd want to poke a couple holes in the top to let a bit of moisture escape? And, I guess the presentation wouldn't be quite as elegant. But, still, quick easy and really tasty. Cheers, Geoff Ruby

I do this for work lunches and you're right, it is great! You must use Ortiz tuna though. The "normal" tinned stuff just doesn't lift the dish to the same level. You can do any variation on these theme, using different beans or veggie combinations. Some pepper flakes add zing. ← Forgot to add a bit of nice balsamic or lemon juice really helps too. Cheers, Geoff Ruby

Anywhere downtown for pickled walnuts? I know the Cheese Boutique has them. Cheers, Geoff Ruby

I've been looking for awhile, haven't seen any either... ← I've seen them recently. Not sure if it was in Kensington, SLM, or both. Pretty sure the place on the corner of Augusta and Baldwin had them though. Would've been within the last week. Might've been the place on the north corner of ST. Andrews and Kensington. Ok, I'm obviously not entirely sure. Might go tomorrow. Will try and remember to look for quinces. Cheers, Geoff Ruby

Not sure how high end we want to go. There definitely is a budget. ... ← We just renovated our kitchen (13 x 9). The cost of the custom made cabinets was $8,300 + tax (includes installation). The granite countertop (49.2 sq.ft) was $3150+tax (installed). Then of course you need to add the appliances (we got a new dish washer and a hood at Caplans) and a new sink + faucet ($1400 +tax at Dupont Plumbing). Finally, you need a contractor to remove the old kitchen, install the backsplash, hookup the sink and dishwasher and install the under cabinet lights and ceiling lights. Originally, the contractor quoted $2500, but of course, we added many more things (not all of them kitchen related) so the contractor cost was about 3 times that. We are very happy with the results. The only thing I was dissapointed was with the hood (too noisy). Hope this helps. Salomon ← Thanks for chiming in. If you'd be comfortable passing along contractor &/or cabinetry recommendations please do (you can always pm me if you don't want to do it openly on the forum). And, which hood did you decide on (noisy is bad!) - I'm leaning towards Vent-aHood at the moment. Thanks, Geoff Ruby

Haven't been to Home Depot - well I have, and very recently, but I thought they'd be a step under Ikea kitchen-wise (dunno why - just did) so I haven't looked at their kitchen cabinetry. I'll definitely be looking very closely at the hinges and slides now, but I'm not sure exactly what I should be looking for. Thanks though for the advice. Cheers, Geoff Ruby

Paula, Welcome! Thank you for joining us. My question is, how much is this region being influenced by cooking (and dining) trends outside. I'm thinking particularly, although not exclusively, to the oft-mentioned culinarly hotspots to the west of the Pyrenees. Is the sort of experimentation going on in Spain carrying over to France? Should it? Cheers, Geoff Ruby

So, is it possible to go with Ikea cabinets, and replace their hinges and slides with Blum or something of similar quality down the road? How interchangeable are hinges and slides? Thanks, Geoff Ruby ← I think the way Ikea prices things, you actually pay for every single item individually - including things like hinges (not positive about slides though). So, it may still be possible to go Ikea, but purchase higher quality hinges and slides. (Not sure if I get Ikea to do the install whether they would install third party hinges and slides or not). I will look into this further and report back. This does depend on hinges and slides being relatively interchangeable (I'm guessing the positioning of the screws would be the major factor - assuming they're the same, changing one for another should be relatively straightforward?) So, Arne, or anyone else - can Ikea slides and hinges be directly replaced by something higher quality like Blum? Anybody out there done it? Thanks, Geoff Ruby PS - thanks Arne for your help and comments on my various countertop threads!

That's Tai Kong. It's actually the one I frequent most, and mentioned upthread re: weird fish and black chickens. I do see lime leaves there, but not all the time. I bought some galangal there last week, but I don't recall seeing lime leaves. But then again, I wasn't specifically looking for them. Cheers, Geoff Ruby

The place in the NW corner of the basement of SLM also has it. Along with a stunning array of other stuff, You want vegemite? They have it. Tuna belly in a can (well, bottle) from Italy. Check. Dried limes - which I was asking about on this thread earlier - yup. An extensive bulk section (I bought some active dried yeast there last weekend along with dried limes), olive oils ... I love that place. You don't get a sense of how much stuff they have there unless you wade in - they're off in a corner and I have to admit I spent a lot of time at SLM before I even ventured in there. Now, it's often my first stop. I don't think tomato paste in a tube is too hard to find even in the chains or even smaller grocery stores near me - but I live close to Little Italy on College. I'm surprised to hear that it's hard to find. Cheers, Geoff Ruby

Are they available outside of downtown on any sort of regular basis - Little India on Gerrard perhaps? As for downtown, I don't know. I've never seen them in Kensington, for example. There are a few Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi (I'm not really sure - can we call them SE Asian?) groceries on Bloor or on Queen in Parkdale. It's possible that one or more of them might carry curry leaves, but I don't really know. Good question though. I'd like to ask the same of lime leaves. I believe I've seen them occassionally in Chinatown, but the ones I have in my freezer I brought back from the Granville market in Van. (my luggage smelled amazing). Cheers, Geoff Ruby

George Brown College is hosting a gathering of a bunch of TO area food writers on Dec. 6 for a chit chat. More info here: http://www.georgebrown.ca/chefschool/eatin...ords/index.aspx I'm hoping to attend. Anyone else interested? Cheers, Geoff Ruby

Thanks for the heads up Arne. I actually was very hesitant to even consider Ikea, even though there are generally positive comments about their cabinets on egullet. However, there are higher priorities for me that I don't want to compromise on - vent hood, range and countertop. I might be able to save a bit here and there by painting myself, etc. but the major cost after my above listed priorities is the cabinetry, and I doubt we can do anything close to what we want unless we go Ikea. That being said, they do have a 10 year warrantee. I'll have to inquire further whether that applies to the hinges and slides. (I did also visit a couple kitchen design places. One didn't bother to email me back after I spent about an hour in their shop talking to them about what I want, budget etc. I get the sense that a 30 grand budget is small potatoes for a lot of these places. The other place I spent a bit more time with has given me a ballpark figure between 35 and 40 grand - before appliances - every time I talk to them it seems to go up. We can't really justify that. So, Ikea it is I think. And, to be fair to the one design place, they did suggest I at least check out Ikea.) So, is it possible to go with Ikea cabinets, and replace their hinges and slides with Blum or something of similar quality down the road? How interchangeable are hinges and slides? Thanks, Geoff Ruby

Not sure how high end we want to go. There definitely is a budget. Our kitchen, while reasonably large (11 x 15 or so) has virtually no cupboard space. (The previous owners kept their cutlery and dishes in a hutch in the living room - 2 rooms away. Seriously. I should post a picture) So, we need cupboards, pantry etc. etc. Wow cupboards are expensive! There's currently no vent hood. That is actually the most pressing need. And, I want to get rid of the electric range and replace with gas (the previous owners had a gas range and pulled it out - I don't think they cooked much). I'd love to keep the budget under 30k. I figure range and vent hood in the 5k-6k range installed if I go GE for the range. Granite counter from Ikea @3.5. If I go soapstone it will be closer to 6k. Even with soapstone that leaves 18 grand for cabinets, lighting, backsplash, sinks and taps, plumbing, electrical, surprises, and if anything is left over, a new coat of paint. Even going the Ikea route for cabinets, I think it's going to be tight given our budget. So, I may have to consider doing some things myself - like the backsplash, and painting. But, I'm not that handy - painting I can do, the backsplash? I don't know. We need a window guy too (we're going to make the kitchen window smaller so we can put a counter there), so any advice on that front is welcome too. Cheers, Geoff Ruby

I thought I'd bring this thread back to life as the kitchen reno will soon be proceeding. I hope. I've found dealing with kitchen design places frustrating for the most part (I dunno, but if I'm proposing doing something that's going to send you $30k worth of business, you might want to call me back or respond to emails??) So, I finally went to Ikea. I figured they'd be cheaper for cabinetry, but I was astounded by how much so. A step down in quality? Maybe - a bit. I'll repeat, maybe. They still have a 10 year warranty on their cabinets. A few limitations in what they offer- sure - it's not custom built. However, it looks like we'll be going Ikea for the cabinetry. Ikea also had a granite countertop I liked. That is, if I don't go soapstone. There's a thread. For appliances, it's down to Ventahood or Zephyr for the vent hood, and GE profile dual fuel for the range (unless I go for a spendy one like Viking or Bluestar). I have no idea re: lighting or backsplashes. Any ideas where to get advice on those two areas is appreciated.And sinks/ taps as well. Thanks, Geoff Ruby

I'll add another that my wife loooooooves. Tuna and white bean salad. A few slices of thinly sliced red onion. A can of white beans (we prefer smaller ones). A couple tins of tuna packed in oil. S & P. A good glug of good olive oil. Mix. Total time - less than five minutes. Serve on a leaf of lettuce if you want to get schmaltzy. Or add a bit of mint. I'm not sure that this is elegant, but it sure is easy, fast, and tastes good. You do need good tuna and EVO and a liberal amount of S&P though - the beans are pretty bland. Soaking the onion in water and squeezing a few times can tame the onion a bit too - although I tend to like it with a bit of bite. And all the pastas suggested meet my criteria. Actually, a good store bought stuffed pasta tossed with an herb, maybe some tomatoes, a veg or two, a bit of pasta water and EVO can be magnificent. And take only a couple minutes longer than it takes to get the water to boil. Keep 'em coming!

I often go to the Kimbo on Bathurst just across the street from Western General. (I do not believe this is the Kimbo that had a gangland slaying in the early 90s - I think that was on Dundas in Chinatown, but my sister claims I'm wrong). Anyhow, I like it because it's inexpensive, good, and close to home. They didn't serve pho until a couple of years ago. I don't know why - maybe the owners or cooks aren't from Saigon. So, does anybody know of any regional places in town that specialize in one particular region of Vietnamese cuisine? We always seem to get the Bo Nhang Dam (beef fondue that you wrap in rice paper with sprouts, daikon, carrot, lettuce, mint, and/ or basil). I keep saying that next time we go in we should just let them pick their favourites and surprise us. Maybe one time I'll actually do it. I've been meaning to try the Golden Turtle (Rua Vong maybe?) on Ossington for ages. Anybody been there? Cheers, Geoff ruby

Ok, I'm interested in your fave simple, fast dishes, either because they have few ingredients, simple techniques or fast cooking times, and that taste a whole lot more elegant than those limitations might suggest. A friend reminded me today of the potato wrapped fish I made for her a few months ago. I understand the original version was from Paul Bocuse. My version is several slices of thinly sliced (ie by mandoline) starchy potato ( slightly overlapping) wrapped around a filet of mild fish. That is placed onto a hot oiled and buttered pan (overlapping bits down). (S & P liberally) When the tater has sealed together a bit, turn it over and chuck it into a mid-ish heat oven (350 + or -) until the fish is done. Serve with a lemon wedge, or deglaze with butter lemon juice and capers, for example. Ok - this dish is really simple and really good - fish n' chips all in one go. The only difficulty is the requirement of a mandoline or similar V-slicer for the potato. I'd love to hear other variations on the simple 'n quick but elegant theme. Cheers, Geoff Ruby

Congrats! But is Barbara or "Jake" preferred? Cheers, Geoff Ruby