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Nov. 12, 2003 A pieous village: In a fit of teen power, a shy 14-year-old earns baking bragging rights for a year The village of Warkworth, Ontario takes their pie-making very seriously. Their competition has all the thrills of a sporting event – rivaling teams, judges who leave under the cloak of darkness, and an upset by an unlikely teen. Food writer Jennifer Bain shares recipes for four famous Warkworth pies: Travis Clarke's Perfect Apple Pie, Pear and Ginger Pie, Cranberry-Raisin Pie and Corned Beef Torta. --------------- Stop and savour the harvest Food writer Susan Sampson shares her favorite products – and a few recipes – from her trip to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Recipes include Lamb Shanks With Stout and Harvest Cheese Soup. --------------- Gord on Grapes If you need an affordable wine to go with tomato-sauced penne, pepperoni pizza, calamari or scallops, Gordon Stimmel has a wine for you. --------------- How to sell soup in 2003 Campbell’s is going for a music tie-in to its Gardennay soup. The reviewer didn’t care for the Javier CD that came with the soup samples. But then, they didn’t care much for the soup either. --------------- In stores now * Splenda No Calorie Sweetener is introducing the Granular Baker's Bag, the equivalent of a five-pound bag of granulated sugar. * Tetley flavours rooibos tea with vanilla and brings it to the supermarket crowd. Rooibos is a robust herbal tea, caffeine-free, with higher levels of antioxidants than regular or green teas. * The urge to provide the "complete coffee solution," as Melitta Canada CEO Bill Ivany puts it, is behind the company's introduction of whole bean coffee to its product lineup.

The Toronto Star – Nov. 5, 2003 Thinking inside the box: Warehouse clubs turn shopping into an expedition for big spenders Costco made food writer Susan Sampson buy a freezer. The article includes recipes for Citrus Hearts of Palm Salad, Steamed Ginger Garlic Salmon, and Toblerone Mousse. (Toblerone Mousse? I can’t wait to try that one!) It also includes price comparisons with other stores. --------------- Outfit for a tiny kitchen Jennifer Bain has switched from being a food writer in an apartment to a food writer with a 64-square-foot kitchen in her very own condo. She’s put the kitchen to good use already, and shares her recipes for Bacon-Wrapped Dates Stuffed With Chèvre and Almonds, Unbelievably Delicious Tarragon-Grape Salad, Easy Bake Porterhouse Steak, Curried Egg and Green Apple Sandwiches, and PB& J Crumble Bars. She also offers shopping tips for outfitting a kitchen. --------------- Drink of the week This brief article offers a recipe for a Gemini Martini and a couple of places to get specialty olives for your specialty drink.

The Boston Globe – Nov. 5, 2003 Spreading the word: According to chefs and bakers, European-style butter is better. Now it's also widely available. By Galen Moore, Globe Correspondent Many of us left margarine behind a long time ago. Now butter has competition again – only instead of less fat, the new butter in town contains even more fat. This article includes a recipe for shortbread cookies -------------- This contest is a wrap By Andrea Pyenson, Globe Correspondent Last week, Salem High School held its second annual wrap contest. Students piled tortillas with a variety of ingredients, and 12 students won prizes. The contest encourages students to try healthy food alternatives, as well as ethnic foods many had never seen before. --------------- SHORT ORDERS Sauerkraut season It rises above the rest Get on the stick Drinking coffee makes you crafty Confessions of a foodie: I save coffee cans for making steamed Boston brown bread. --------------- There’s more than one way to make an authentic meatball sub By Lisa Zwirn, Globe Correspondent Many disagree on what makes a classic meatball sub. The bread, sauce and cheese are all up for discussion. One thing is certain, however. No matter how you fix your sub it isn’t going to be a true Italian meatball sub because in Italy, meatballs and bread don’t mix. The article includes a meatball sub recipe and a sidebar where the cooks at five sandwich shops offer their opinions on what makes a meatball sub great. --------------- You’ll make them melt This article by Sheryl Julian and Julie Riven reminds us that a sandwich comprised of grilled meat and cheese can make a delicious and satisfying meal. The article includes a recipe for turkey croque sandwiches. --------------- For Pine Street Inn, a labor of love Three Hingham friends gather once a month to prepare a wonderful meal for 80 to 100 less fortunate women. --------------- A woman’s place is in the brewery

I sympathize too... I have had to search the house for lose change and bring it to the bank just to buy groceries. Beans are my favorite budget stretcher. In addition to the things already mentioned, I like red beans and rice, salads made with chickpeas, and beans and pasta. If you have flour and yeast, you can make pita bread and make a big batch of hummus. Jambalaya is also a great budget stretcher for me. I use inexpensive smoked sausage and chicken, and skip the shrimp. I make big batches of it since it is so good leftover. Leftovers also make great soups and stews. The slow cooker is an excellent appliance for cheap cuts of meat. Cheap roasts can simmer in broth or beer all day; cheap pork can simmer in BBQ sauce all day for amazing sandwiches, and more. My local groceries stores all mark down meats a day or two before their sell-by dates, which is nice. Whenever I find them, I buy them to keep in the freezer.

The Boston Globe – Oct. 29, 2003 Carrying a torch for this so-easy-to-make dessert This article has a nice description of how crème brule is made, plus a “where to buy” key for culinary torches. Unfortunately, this is the one kitchen gadget no one in my family wants me to have. My history of knife injuries has made them suspect burn injuries would result from the torch. Recipe: Crème brule -------------- Now starring: panna cotta Before crème brule became the popular menu item, there was panna cotta. Many chefs have not forgotten this dish, and make this silky dessert with pleasure. --------------- A toast to roast chicken Comfort food… or food seduction? You decide. Recipe: Roast chicken with vegetables --------------- Hold it The silicone potholder. It’s already on my shopping list. --------------- Steak optional Some different steak sauces are now available at grocery stores. --------------- A lighter hue in northern Italy --------------- Go nuts with this squash Set aside your thoughts of pumpkins for the moment, and think about butternut squash for a moment.

The Toronto Star – Oct. 29, 2003 Eating beyond the Inidan buffet Indian food used to be high in fat content for a reason – people needed the fat and calories for hard manual labor. But now our nutritional needs have changed, and so has Indian food. Many restaurants in Toronto are cutting back on the fat and relying more on flavor. This article talks to Krishna Jamal, executive chef of Vancouver's famous Rubina Tandoori Restaurant. --------------- Bakery celebrates its rise Atkins dieters, beware. The calling of hot, fresh bread is hard to resist, especially when it comes from Ace Bakery. Recipes from The Ace Bakery Cookbook: Recipes For And With Bread include Shrimp and Avocado Butter Crostini and Pumpkin and Cranberry Bread Pudding. --------------- Gord on Grapes Wine critic Gordon Stimmell reviews three wines in this week’s Gord on Grapes that go with penne in tomato sauce, chicken fajitas, and rib roast. --------------- Apple a day keeps the monsters away Food writer Susan Sampson has a terrific suggestion for keeping the kids busy on Halloween. She includes recipes for Candy Apples and Caramel Apples. --------------- Cookbooks lead the way Food editor Jennifer Bain gives readers her top four picks for cookbooks designed to cook healthy Indian food at home. --------------- Healthy Indian recipes If you’d like to try before you buy, Jennifer Bain shares some recipes from her favorite Indian cookbooks. Recipes include Indian Potato Salad, Indian Omelette, Spicy Cauliflower (Sukhi Gobi), Masala Pork Chops, and Kashmir Lamb With Fennel. --------------- Feed your soul This article gives the very basics of what eating is like during Ramadan. Recipes include Date Crescents and Date and Fig Bread.

The Toronto Star – Oct. 22, 2003 Crantastic tastes: A little red swamp berry draws big crowds at Muskoka harvest festival A town of 500 has been invaded by 30,000 cranberry lovers for their 19th Annual Bala Cranberry Festival. At the festival, you can view the cranberry beds and watch them harvest the cranberries, and afterwards indulge in some local cranberry wine. And, of course, there is a baking contest. --------------- Grillwich project Toronto is a wonderful place to find foods from all over the world. Most restaurants there have souvlaki on their menus like American restaurants have burgers. Now it looks like Lettieri is turninggrilled panini on homemade focaccia into another popular treat. --------------- Eat, drink and be charitable Food editor Jennifer Bain reports on using food -- expensive food -- to raise money for Second Harvest. With 120 people attending for $350 each, and the kitchen staff donating their time, this dinner on Sunday should be a successful fundraiser. For their money, participants get a wonderful meal. --------------- Red and white harmonize In this week’s Gord on Grapes, Gordon Stimmell reviews his shiraz discoveries from the Australian Wine Experience last month. --------------- JK has landed --------------- Cranberry recipes Food editor Jennifer Bain and her test kitchen whipped up some cranberries recipes for everyone overflowing with leftover cranberries from Canadian Thanksgiving. Recipes include Cranberry-Lime Salsa, Gingered Cranberry Mouthfuls, Cranberry and Banana Flambé, and Roasted Cranberries with Pearl Onions. --------------- Personalize your panino This articles contains suggestions for everything from meat and cheese to the grill and presentation. --------------- Panini recipes Finally! All this talk about panini made me want some recipes. My cousin is getting a panini grill for Christmas, so I’ll be sure to pass these recipes along to her. Maybe I’ll get an invitation to give the grill a try. Recipes include Roasted Garlic Mayo, Franco's Herbed Frittata (a bestseller at Lettieri), Il Parmese (a Caffe Doria recipe), and ACE Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

The Toronto Star – October 15, 2003 Running on eggs Eggs are an easy and inexpensive way to get your protein. And if you run marathons like Jane Van Der Voort, you need all the protein you can get. This article includes recipes for Oat Power Burstaroons and Running Energy Balls. ---------- Lunch with Bob is surreal Bob Blumer, the Surreal Gourmet, grew up in Montreal. Although he shoots his television show in Toronto, he lives in Los Angeles where he is working on The Surreal Gourmet Bites. This article includes recipes for Presto Pizza with Grilled Chicken and Cauliflower Popcorn. ---------- Meal eggspectations Food Editor Jennifer Bain wants breakfast to get the respect it deserves. She mentions some fun breakfast choices at Toronto recipes, and includes recipes for Hominy Porridge with Cape Gooseberries and Crispy Tortillas Scrambled with Eggs. ---------- Gord on Grapes This week, Gordon Stimmell highlights some European wines ranging from $8-$13 offering something different to try with Coq au vin, strip steak, white deli meats, or hors d'oeuvres. ---------- Do they take a bite and put it back? ---------- We like our shallots crispy Food writer Susan Sampson went trendspotting, and found crispy, crunchy shallots. If you’ve got time to make these, she promises they are better than French's French Fried Onions. Susan includes recipes for Crispy Shallots, Green Beans with Crispy Shallots, Chili and Mint, and Tomato Salad with Crispy Shallots. ---------- Menu for a girls' night in You don’t have to be young -- just young at heart -- to enjoy a night of girl talk and junk food. But as a grown up, you can splurge on high quality junk food, indulge in R-rated movies, and bring alcohol into your room without worrying about getting caught. This article includes recipes for Spiced Wine Sauce (great over vanilla ice cream) and Pineapple Sea Breezes (with vodka).

The Toronto Star – October 8, 2003 There’s a long weekend coming up in both Canada and the states. For the states, it’s Columbus Day. For Canadians, it’s Thanksgiving with all the turkey and fixings that go along with it. They celebrate it much the same way as the United States, just earlier –- and with good reason. The harvest comes earlier in the cooler climate. Bounty in the county Few things intrigue me more than regional cuisine. I just love the I love a community bound by its special tastes. This weekend, Prince Edward County in Ontario celebrates its local specialities with Taste! A Celebration of Regional Cuisine. ---------- Dear Parkdale, you taste great these days Food editor Jennifer Bain has taken on a new title – Saucy Lady. Her descriptions of the food finds in her area are almost enough to make me pack up and move to Toronto. ---------- Drinks befitting a family feast Gordon Stimmell is thinking about Thanksgiving already, giving advice and mentioning four choices by name. ---------- Breaking banana news Good news! Banana protectors are now available in Canada, courtesy of three emergency-room physicians who had their contraptions patented and mass produced. For only $4.99 (Canadian), you can say goodbye to mushy lunchtime bananas. ---------- East meets West over turkey May Yeung describes her Thanksgiving dinner in detail in this guest column. My only questions is: Where are the recipes?! ---------- A modern Thanksgiving feast Food editor Jennifer Bain shares recipes for Canadian Thanksgiving including Cranberry Turkey Pizza, Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips, Moosewood's Caramelized Onion Gravy, Prince Edward County Apple-Cheddar Soup and Prince Edward County Lavender Shortbread. ---------- Taste of Prince Edward County For a taste of some of the 52 vendors that will be at Taste! this weekend, check out this list. ---------- Hot hot, hot for stuffed jalapeños That does say it all. And food writer Susan Sampson includes her recipe for Stuffed Jalapeños in this article.

I do enjoy the food references. I am about as obsessed with coffee and where my next meal is coming from as the Gilmore Girls themselves. And while I'll admit this isn't the best season of the Gilmore Girls so far, but it's a still above some other things that pass as comedies these days. In my opinion, everybody does not love Raymond.

The Toronto Star – October 1, 2003 For the love of couscous Few things make me happier than couscous. Whether you are a long-time couscous fan or looking for something new to try, this column is well worth reading. This column includes recipes for Chicken And Almond Couscous, Tajine Fez (Lamb With Prunes And Honey), Tajine Mseer And Zaytoon (Lemon, Olive And Chicken), Tajine Hout (Fish Tajine), and Couscous Dessert. ---------- A seed by any other name This brief article of pomegranate advice comes from California's POM Wonderful. Recipes include Pomegranate and Banana Salad and Pomegranate Cheesecake. ---------- Eat, drink, relax, rebuild Michael Stadtlander of Eigensinn Farm held the Canadian Chefs' Congress this weekend. ---------- Gord on Grapes Gordon Stimmell reviews inexpensive wines once again. If you’re looking for a wine to pair with tandoori chicken, sirloin and bell pepper shishkebab, or breaded or grilled fish, check out Gordon’s selections. ---------- Lean mean caffeine leaves us full of beans Good news. When visiting Canada, sleep is now optional. ---------- Another lunch room curiosity Before you get your hopes up over never having a mushed banana at work or school again, this nifty little container is only available in Europe. ---------- We were just wondering: Why YNEW? This bread is organic, tasty, and unpronounceable. ---------- Join pineapple brigade Susan Sampson tackles readers’ requests for recipes. ---------- Diet for a brand new neighbourhood I’m happy to hear that I’m not the only one to collect menus. My office is full of them because I collect them from everywhere I go. According to food editor Jennifer Bain, that makes me a food-obsessed chowhound. I’m okay with that. Recipes include Sweet Ginger Tea and Retro Mac And Cheese With Buttered Crumbs.

The Toronto Star – Sept. 24, 2003 Ontario’s ‘invisible’ workforce: More than 14,000 Mexican and Caribbean labourers come here each year to tend to our farms I believe it’s good to know just what goes into food production. In Ontario, the produce that ends up at the grocery store gets there with the hard work of immigrant laborers. They are willing to work for low wages, which helps struggling Canadian farmers. And while there is a fine line between those who are appreciated and respected and those who are treated like outcasts, many do just fine. Stop and savour the harvest Food editor Jennifer Bain shares a Mexican-inspired meal to honor those who harvest the crops in Ontario. Recipes include Mango, Jicama and Cucumber Salad, Mexican Corn with Chilies and Herbs, Black Bean Chilaquiles with Smoky Chipotle, Dulce De Leche Pudding, Spaghettini Tomato Toss, and Shakshuka (Israeli Tomato And Eggs). -------------------- Wolfgang Puck opens his first café in Canada Wolfgang Puck is packing up his recipes and heading across the border. Monday is the opening day of The Wolfgang Puck Café in Oakville, next to Toronto. Puck has five other cities picked out if this restaurant does well. -------------------- Families have deep roots at Niagara wineries Gordon Stimmell’s column, Gord on Grapes, reviews some Niagara Falls wines from Gary Pillitteri’s winery. Pillitteri made the transition to wine making late in life, and has been pleasing palates ever since. He also reviews a wine from Marynissen Estates, another family-owned winery in Niagara. -------------------- Days of Awe and Apples This page includes recipes for Honey-Glazed Apple Bundt Cake and Country Apple Galette -------------------- Puzzled? Pear with me This article delves into the versatility of pears and offers some new ways of using them, including the recipes for Pear Scones with Maple Pear Butter, Sweet Potato and Pear Soup, and Chicken, Pear and Mushroom Risotto. Kitchen Tipsheet: Pears For more information on pears, including calories and how to ripen, check out this Tipsheet. -------------------- Get your buns to Baldwin No, not Alec. This article talks about all the great – and affordable -- food found on Baldwin Street, near the University of Toronto.

I can understand not wanting to split the check after the check has been prepared and presented to the customers. But when people want separate checks before they order -- why is that a problem? If we dined alone and ate ate 3 different tables we'd have 3 different checks. If a customer wants to split the bill on two credit cards, they should tell the server what to charge on what card. I have never had a problem doing this. It is not the server's job to split the cost of the bruchetta 7 ways. I can see the tip being bigger with separate checks. If the check is just for my meal, I'll tip my usual 20% or more, depending on the service. But if the check comes for the whole meal there are two problems. First, some don't tip well or figure the tip out correctly and the server doesn't get what he/she deserves. Second, with those that don't tip well, it's hard to throw in extra to make up for it. I've been known to "forget" something at the table just so I can go back and add some money to the tip on the table. I suppose it is human nature to see a $15 lunch bill and leave a good tip, but if that same person sees a $100 lunch bill and they freak out and think that they spent too much and need to skimp somewhere.

Maybe the better question would be whether or not NOLA would bump someone for former Prime Minister John Major.

McDonald's already sells lobster rolls in New England. No "Mc" name on that one either.

September 17, 2003 Petite Sweets: Latest cupcake renaissance proves that good things come in small packages To me, cupcakes are the ultimate dessert. They bring out the kid in everyone, and each one is it’s own serving. It has nothing to do with not dirtying any dishes. Honest. Recipes for Magnolia Birthday Cupcakes, Carrot Cupcakes With Ginger Cream Cheese Icing, and Mock Hostess Cupcakes (includes recipe for Squiggle Frosting). ------ A convenient future for fast food Food editor Jennifer Bain ventures into conveniences stores for some pleasing fast foods. This page includes a recipe for Cheerio Chip Cookies. ------ An ode to cooks' tools of the trade Everyone has a kitchen gadget they’re attached to…some chefs and readers share theirs in this article. ------ Eat to the Beat with women chefs ------ Gord on Grapes Star columnist Gordon Stimmell writes about wine each week. This week he rates three wines – one is under $7. With the exchange rate, that’s like the price of grape jelly. ------ O Canada, he cooks in B.C. for thee! Rob Feenie's Canadian Bistro seeks to further define Canadian cuisine in Vancouver.

A few questions about business cards... Does sending business cards with a query help, hurt, or not matter either way? Do you use business cards? If so, with queries or just when you meet people in person? Tammy

David, Thanks so much for all of this great advice! I first found your website after the Writer's Digest award, and have enjoyed it ever since. And thanks for the gaffes! I have a couple of questions about approaching editors. First, there are lots of sample query letters out there to see, but I have never seen an example of an introductory letter sent with clips. What should this type of letter include? Also, I have done food writing for years in various weekly newspapers, but now I'd like to move up and try to get into weekly food sections in the daily newspapers in my region. I have read conflicting information on this. You just mentioned sending queries while others say the only way to get in is sending a completed manuscript. What do you think is the best way to approach daily newspapers? Thanks, Tammy

I don't know about chlorine, but they are treated with chemicals and many are irradiated. In theory they seem great -- salad that lasts a long time in the fridge. But the treatments preserve the freshness of the salad, but not necessarily the vitamins or flavor. I get them once in a while, when I need lettuce and the heads don't look good at the store. But normally I buy a head of green or red leaf lettuce, wash it as soon as I get home, and keep it in a lettuce container. It keeps quite some time, and it's washed and ready when I need it.

Sometimes I think about how great it would be to have a fascinating article assigned to me, and have my writing read in beautiful full-color magazines or newspapers with circulations in the hundred thousands. But for now, I enjoy writing my recipe-driven newspaper column. I have no one editing my work (although if I were to change from its format, I'd risk being dropped by newspapers) and I am free to write about whatever I want as long as the recipes are relatively easy and made from ingredients found at most supermarkets. I pick a theme -- an ingredient, appliance, holiday, etc. -- and develop one or two recipes to go with that theme as well as a beginning to the article and some relevant tips. It's a lot of fun. Although writing for a smaller market means less money, it has the reward of regular readers who often drop me emails just to chat or share recipes.

Good points on both sides. I think accomodating the customer is good, but the customer can get carried away. Personally, if I am going to pay $30 or more for dinner, I want it to be exactly as the chef intended it to be. I feel as though I am paying for his or her talent. If I want something more specific to my desires, I'll eat at a less expensive place where the meals are more plain and easier to customize, or I will cook it myself. I think people are pickier now. I know many parents who complain of the burder of cooking different meals for each of their children every night, because none of them like the same things. When I was a kid, we only had two choices for dinner each night: eat it or don't. So that could be the bigger problem, that customers are out for more than accomodating allergies or special diets, they are out for a customized meal exactly the way they want it, even if they don't like the end result.

I used to live in a small rural Danish town in Minnesota and learned how to make aebleskivers there. Aebleskivers dinners are popular there, and the local restaurant serves aebleskivers once a week. Every year I worked at their festival, where we made aebleskivers in these giant cast iron griddles that handled about 100 at a time. And every year, people who had been to Solvang talked about the terrific aebleskivers during Danish Days. I still make them often (though not by the hundreds), serving them like they did, with chokecherry syrup and powdered sugar. Some parts of New England do have a number of Danish-Americans, and cast-iron aebleskiver pans are around. Sometimes, instead of a cast iron pan, I use my electric donut hole maker.

My local news station has fun ordering these things and then showing them in use on TV. My favorite was the pancake maker, "so easy if you can turn a doorknob you can make beautiful pancakes." When they tested it, the batter promtly spilled out all over their stove top. I'd like to try all the things they do to demonstrate the product. Like using the vacuum sealer to crush cans, using the Ginsu knife to cut through a can and then slice a tomato paper thin, and torturing the plastic baking pans then watching them bounce back ready for cake batter.

I think it depends on the purpose of the piece. If I am writing about cinnamon in an attempt to inform the reader, I use third person. If I am writing about my personal experience with cinnamon, or something new and unqiue I do with cinnamon, I'll use first person.