FlavoursGal

Mighty, a new store called Culinarium (http://www.culinarium.ca/) will be opening on Mt. Pleasant in the spring and will stock only local goods. Fiesta Farms, on Christie between Dupont and Bloor, works directly with Ontario farmers and stocks many local products not seen in the major supermarkets.

Fugu, please don't give up on farmers' markets. Yes, there are a few resellers at some of the markets, but if you get to know the vendors, you'll find it very easy to spot the impostors. And speaking with farmers and food artisans who are selling the products they've personally raised, grown or produced is an absolute treat!

Keep plugging away, Kurt. ;-) Looking forward to meeting you in Charleston! All the best from your cohort Gail, Canadian Edible #1 in Toronto. Vancouver is coming in May, eh?

I've been buying this and that on the racks lately, and have been impressed by Fine Cooking. The only magazines *period* I subscribe to are New Yorker and Cook's Illustrated. So you get I love Cook's. I adore the use of illustrations. I'm mad at saveur because so many of there recipes haven't turned out for me, and I'm an excellent home cook with or without a recipe. The rest have been uniformly disappointing. I was interested in this thread because I'm looking for good ore food magazines as well-- it seems like the best way to stay seasonal. You can't subscribe to them (I think) but the edible series of local zines are terrific. I pick up Edible San Francisco every chance I get. ← et alors, the "Edible" series of publications does have subscriptions available -- as a single subscription to one magazine, or as a set of three Edibles through Edible Communities. Go to www.ediblecommunities.com to view each magazine's website to get information on single subscriptions, or to access the "3 for $45" special offer. Gail Gordon Oliver Publisher and Editor Edible Toronto

The location on York Mills and Bayview is slated to open first, in mid-October, I believe. The one on Eglinton, probably in November.

Did you? Well, my congratulations on a terrific concept and wonderful execution. I hope it goes well.

We went to JK Wine Bar for Mother's Day brunch yesterday, and it was fabulous. We arrived at opening time - 11:00 - and the food and service were stellar. I love the fact that you get to order any two items on the menu for the prix fixe price of $20 per person. Even the picky 15-year-old loved her meal. We'd never been there for brunch before; we'll definitely return.

mkjr, Toronto is very backwards when it comes to BYO. The government has recently legislated it as legal, but few restaurants here are on board and, when they are, they often charge exorbitant corkage fees.

Add Toronto to the list. I'm definitely in, and I was fortunate to meet with Tracey and Carole last week at the IACP conference in Chicago, as well as your partner Wendy and Renee, Pamela, Dianne, Doug and Robert. What an incredible group of people! Looking forward to meeting all the rest of you - if not at my launch sometime in mid-September (hopefully), then in Charleston next January.

Sounds intriguing. Any idea what stories you'll do for a first issue? and do you have a launch date in mind yet? ←

Sounds intriguing. Any idea what stories you'll do for a first issue? and do you have a launch date in mind yet? ←

Ontario's Golden Horseshoe (which includes Toronto) is definitely ripe for a magazine which will celebrate its bounty. I'm confident that it will be very well received.

I'm a fan of The Healthy Butcher's meats, and I love the atmosphere and old-world charm of the place. I bought some beef cheeks there a few weeks ago. Braised in the oven with root vegetables, they were divine. I've just purchased some elk medallions from John Rietkerk (Second Wind Elk) at St. Lawrence North/Farmers' markets. I'm looking forward to searing them and making a simple pan sauce to accompany.

That is exciting news, Kurt! I am hoping to launch the first Canadian Edible here in Toronto; the contract should be arriving any day. I will be at the IACP conference in Chicago and look forward to meeting Tracey there. Are any other Edible publishers/editors planning to be there? In the meantime, do you have any words of wisdom for a probable new Edible publisher/editor? Am I crazy to think that I can do it on my own with no prior publishing experience? Any advice would be appreciated (note: I can be emailed directly - see my profile).

I went to Girassol last week for the first time in a long time. I picked up the last 2 custard-filled donuts, thrilled that they weren't sold out. They were awful! The custard, which used to taste homemade, was very chemical-tasting, and the dough did not have the same bite that I remembered. I have a craving for Viking's cardamom bread. I think I'll head out there and pick up some of their donuts at the same time.

Sorry to disappoint you, scubadoo, but rinsing your meat before grinding it in no way removes the bacteria that may be coating the surface. If this were the case, e-coli poisoning resulting from eating undercooked burgers would be a very easily prevented (and eliminated) problem. Sure wish it were true, though, and all those hamburger joints would agree to my requests for my burger cooked to medium, rather than burnt to a crisp.

As bandregg stated, the risks of cross-contamination are increased when poultry and meats are rinsed prior to use. Having done some research recently for a basics cooking book (for home cooks) that I was the expert consultant for, it's been determined that there is nothing to be gained from rinsing these proteins and, in fact, rinsing will likely spread bacteria to other surfaces. The only exception would be fish and seafood. In this case, rinsing off scales and other matter is advisable.

I like to use erythritol in my cooking and baking. I find it has absolutely no offensive flavours when used in my cooking and baking applications, with the exception of chocolate confections. I've used it successfully in fruit pies and cakes, cheesecakes, and in sweet-and-sour savoury dishes.

Miriam, I've not done a Tu B'Shvat seder myself, but it sounds like a great idea. I love the sound of your menu. I've done barley pilafs, but I prefer using farro (similar to spelt) instead. I often toss it with sauteed oyster mushrooms and slightly caramelized onions. Both of your poultry ideas are great. If you do the turkey tagine, would you use bone-in or boned turkey? I've had great success using boned turkey thigh meat in braises. As for dessert, you could do something simple using non-dairy sorbet or ice cream. Affrogato, which is ice cream topped with hot espresso, or how about some sorbet or ice cream topped with limoncello and berries?

I've had my Viking 48-inch range for about 7 years. I've got the model that is dual-fuel (gas burners, electric ovens), with six burners and a grill. I've had only one minor problem with the ignition on one burner in the years I've owned it. The burners and ovens work beautifully, and the grill is great. It has metal bars (rather than "briquettes," similar to Weber gas grills, which make for very easy clean-up. And the grill temperature is adjustable, whereas on some other ranges it's not. When undergoing a major kitchen renovation about 3 years ago, I decided to purchase an additional oven. I lucked out - the appliance store had gotten hold of a number of Gaggenau wall ovens that they were selling at less than one-half the usual price. I purchased one of these, and it's a work of art and efficiency. On this model, the door swings opens like a microwave. I had it built in at a level at which I can, literally, stand immediately in front of the oven and lift things in and out with great ease. I would never have bought a Gaggenau at regular prices (they are priced astronomically). It's a real workhorse, and I've been very pleased with it.

Restaurant supply stores are my favourite places to shop for kitchenware. Not only is the merchandise constructed for heavy-duty use, there is always a trade discount available. I use my 20x12x4 hotel pans for the first straining of stocks and chicken soups. I fit a perforated pan of the same size inside of a solid-bottomed pan, and pour the contents of my stockpot straight in. Voila! The solids are lifted out with the perforated pan, and the stock/broth remains in the solid pan. It's a lot easier than using a spider to remove the solids, and it makes it very easy to further strain the liquids. I put my chinois into the stockpot, and pour the contents of the hotel pan straight in. I also use the large round stainless steel steam table inserts usually used for soups as my containers of choice for everything from stocks and soups to stews and, basically, any cooked foods. Their verticality makes them much easier to store in the fridge, and they hold quite a bit. For storage purposes, just make sure to purchase the accompanying lid that is totally closed, rather than the one which has the slot for a ladle.

"Great, great beaches (Sandbanks in particular) and bird watching (Long Point) if that's your thing." (C. Nuttall-Smith) Sea Urchin Ragout, I must agree with Mr. Nuttall-Smith regarding the beach at Sandbanks Provincial Park. The setting is Lake Ontario, but the white sand dunes and clear blue water are more evocative of the ocean or sea. I haven't been there in years, though, so I've not been to any of the restaurants or wineries that Mr. Nuttall-Smith recommends. However, I can assure you that his opinion is very valuable, since he is the food editor of Toronto Life, a well-read, monthly publication. Here's the website for Prince Edward County, opened to the page for Sandbanks. http://www.pec.on.ca/other/sandbnks.html

Knowing that 4 tablespoons equals 1/4 cup (2 ounces), it's fairly simple to figure out that 6 tbsp equals 3 ounces. This being said, however, these are LIQUID measurements, not weight measurements.

Does anyone have a recipe for this Jezebel sauce of yours? Is it cooked down or simply stirred together?

Sounds great, Nondoctor. It's called "Roti Lady?" Where is it located? Do they have curry goat, jerk chicken, etc., as well?