DIGEST: The Toronto Star

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Toronto Star – February 26, 2004

Fiesta Fridays: During the week, thousands of Filipina nannies tend to the needs of Toronto-area children

Unwinding takes on a whole new meaning when colleagues share a history of culture and cuisine.

Carpio's home is a magnet for nannies like her and her roommate, who crave Filipino food and company. There's an open-door policy on holidays and weekends as long as guests bring a big appetite and stamina for activities like marathon mahjong sessions, video nights and endless banter.

After spending about 50 hours each week taking care of other people's children, this is how Filipina nannies often unwind.

Recipes include Chicken Adobo, Chicken Tinola and Lychees with Ice Cream.

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Old cuisine gets new life

Food writer Susan Sampson caught up to New York chef Marcus Samuelsson during his recent visit to Toronto.

Cuisine, he says, is an approach to cooking. In Sweden, that approach has been moulded by long cold winters, short summers, abundant but perishable resources, and a rugged terrain. Building blocks for Swedish cooks include preserving (salting, smoking, brining, pickling, drying), a hunting and foraging tradition, and contrasting flavours, textures and temperatures. 

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Gord on Grapes

Gordon Stimmell reviews some affordable wines to pair with game stews, venison, Thai chicken in cream pasta, pot roast and prime rib roast.

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Dining at the Lenten table

Guest columnist Jil McIntosh

In Catholic households around the world, the faithful honour God through abstinence that symbolizes Christ's fasting in the wilderness. Although the sweeping doctrine changes of 1965 eased strict dietary directives, many people eat traditional dishes for some or all of the 40 days of Lent.

My introduction to the practice was at Gumbo Shop, a restaurant in New Orleans' French Quarter, which serves a Lenten version of the popular Gumbo Z'herbes. It's a rich, thick stew named for the leafy green vegetables it contains. Two versions are made with meat or seafood. A third type is vegetarian. (Its comforting broth is also perfect for a stomach that took in a bit too much Fat Tuesday cheer, although I won't go into personal details about that.)

Recipes for Lent include Caldo De Pescado and Capirotada

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Toronto Star – March 3, 2004

It's Canadian bacon

Star readers weigh in on whether Toronto needs a signature dish and, if so, what it should be

Toronto residents are divided at whether or not a group of citizens name its own signature dish.

"At least once a year, a food writer — often under the impression he or she represents the pulse of the city — demands Toronto adopt a dish to call its own. Usually, most will offer a solution that combines a syrup and bacon (and in this case, mustard from Hamilton), in some twisted, horrific food accident ... Unfortunately, eliciting the need for a Toronto dish (a) smacks of trying way too hard and (b) flies in the face of the genesis of city-specific fare. `Signature dishes' cannot be forced or even coerced into existence — most certainly in a city which isn't known for any specific foods and which represents the mosaic that is Canada."

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Chicken Tinola recipe incomplete

If you tried to make last week’s recipe for Chicken Tinola, you may have noticed a missing ingredient – chicken. The corrected recipe was reprinted this week.

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Wine's boy wonder

Gordon Stimmell discusses what makes a wine truly great, then gives a few picks ranging from $21 to $450 a bottle.

It's all about balance. Great grapes stem from tiny amounts of water — nowadays often from computer-controlled drip irrigation. The optimum sun bathes slopes facing in specific directions with carefully manicured leaf canopies. And the best soils are poor and starved or stoney, making the vines struggle for existence and the berries small and tasty with fine natural acidity.

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The scent of gin

From a fragrance created by those who make Bombay Sapphire gin to Gene Ford’s book on the healthy virtues of drinking, Jon Filson packs a lot into this week’s “Suck It Back” column.

While he's not advocating drinking alcohol as a weight-loss technique like Atkins — although there is a chapter on it — Ford's argument is similar to the one that pro-Atkins types have made: that the medical community, in its desire to fight obesity, refuses to consider any other alternative other than encouraging people to cut out fat. 

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Chef stirs up interest in duck

Susan Sampson reports that Lino Collevecchio, chef at Via Allegro, is the new risotto king of Toronto.

Collevecchio's elaborate creation included duck legs confit (duck slowly simmered in its own fat), "agrodolce" (sweet and sour) grape confit, foie gras and 50-year-old balsamic vinegar. 

Sampson includes a recipe inspired by Collevecchio’s creation: Duck Risotto.

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Everything's good in America

Jennifer Bain reviews The Best American Recipes 2003-2004: The Year's Top Picks From Books, Magazines, Newspapers, And The Internet, and includes a recipe for Eggs with Crunchy Bread Crumbs.

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A healthy dessert?

Pamela Steel reviews The Enlightened Eater's Whole Foods Guide: Harvest The Power Of Phyto Foods and includes recipes for Taboo's Green Tea Custard and Chocolate Angel Food Cake with Raspberry Coulis.

In her book, Schwartz dishes about phyto foods: plant foods that contain chemical compounds thought to "unleash a virtual arsenal of disease fighters." Chapter headings include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, soy, nuts and seeds, herbs, spices and oils, tea, red wine and chocolate.

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Toronto Star – March 10, 2004

A greasy spoonful

One glass of wine too many and a lawyer, writer and cashier agree to run their village diner for seven very long days

Since the townspeople of Warkworth, Ontario depend on their diner for food and conversation, a group of friends gathered together to keep it open during the owner’s recent vacation. These diner misfits had their share of mishaps, but they (and the diner) survived.

Point man slaving over a hot griddle is legal aid lawyer Paul Rapsey, a professional actor before he switched to the courtroom (a natural evolution?). Up to his elbows in dirty dishes is this misguided writer (I only ever act up with editors). Waiting on tables is store cashier Linda Simpson (who always acts nonchalant).

We are filling in for Jeannine Evans, queen of Jeannine's Backtalk Café, who miraculously cooks the meals, waits table, razzes the customers and washes the dishes — all by herself. Well, she is only 39.

Recipes for Jeannine's Toasted Western Sandwich and Jeannine's Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce.

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Gord on Grapes

Gordon Stimmell reviews affordable wine selections to pair with meat stews, ravioli, butterflied barbecue lamb and mussels in white wine broth.

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Musings on farmers' markets

Surveys show we shop at these spots for three main reasons: to buy fresh, local produce; to support local farmers; to foster a sense of community. 

Recipes for Triple C Salad and Garlic Bacon Bowties.

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Where to turn

If you live in Toronto, this page has shopping suggestions for gluten-free foods. If you don’t live near the city, you still can benefit from the website and cookbook suggestions.

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Goodbye, Mr. Poutine

Maybe there is a connection between cheese-covered gravy fries and long life...

Fernand Lachance defied the odds. His invention, the greasy, gooey mishmash of fries, gravy and cheese curds known as poutine, was his favourite dish, yet he lived to age 86. Canadian Press reports that Lachance died last month in a nursing home in Warwick, Que. The legendary restaurateur created Quebec's signature dish in 1957, when a trucker insisted on having fries and cheese dumped in the same bag.

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Slow down please

Food editor Jennifer Bain reviews Delicious & Dependable Slow Cooker Recipes: Created For Canada's Kitchens and includes recipes for Pulled Turkey and Lentil Soup with Wilted Spinach.

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Low-carb café opens

This whole low-carb/no-carb trend just won't die. Witness the March 5 opening of Low Carb Living Market & Café, a Thornhill shop that caters to the "needs and tastes of the rapidly growing number of Canadians adopting this healthy lifestyle."

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Toronto Star – March 17, 2004

How to be Irish without really trying

Jon Filson’s column lists five rules (and a couple of subsections) that you must follow in order to be Irish.

To really become Irish, you have to like the drink, and you have to find pleasure in yelling at other people and enjoy having them yell back at you just as much. And you must combine these three things as often as possible.

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Honourary Irish edibles

The Toronto Star test kitchen offer up recipes for Dublin Coddle and Stout Irish Gingerbread for those who want to make something Irish – or at least somewhat Irish.

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Connecting a cup of coffee to a tree

If you’re in Toronto on March 18th, have a beverage that combines two things Canadians hold dear – maple syrup and coffee – and Tree Canada Foundation will get a donation.

For every maple syrup latté or maple crème drink you buy at any Second Cup branch, $1 will be donated to the Tree Canada Foundation.

Why is this idea — officially called Project Maple Day — cool? Because the national charitable foundation rejuvenates Canada's urban and rural forests by encouraging people to plant and care for trees.

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Go for the really green drink

We're huge fans of Guayaki Yerba Maté — a strange yet delightful tea-like drink made from South American rainforest plants. Its Magical Mint Maté is particularly divine, along with the traditional teabags and traditional looseleaf.

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Raise a cocoa mug to a top chocolatier

There is no chocolate-related news too minute to share. And the arrival of lemon thyme, lavender and sea-salted caramel hot chocolate on Queen St. W. is too delicious to keep quiet.

At JS Bonbons, they make hot chocolate based on their flavors of truffles, including lemon thyme, lavender, caramel, gianduja, chocolate and chai, and bittersweet.

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Toronto Star – March 24, 2004

Tidbits to delight diners

Just as the Spanish graze on plates of tapas, Middle Eastern people enjoy mazza before a meal

Toronto writer Habeeb Salloum shares his encounters with the tasty (and filling) tradition of mazza before a meal as well as a wealth of recipes.

The pleasant and elaborate tradition of serving an array of appetizers is practised widely only in the Middle East and Spain. The Spanish habit of gathering before a meal for a drink while sampling appetizers (called tapas) is a replica of the Arab tradition. These pre-meal tidbits are believed to have been carried by the Arabs to the Iberian Peninsula during the 900 years they were in that part of Europe.

Recipes include Tabbouleh (Parsley And Bulgur Salad), Khiyar Bi Laban (Cucumber In Yogurt), Kharashuf Mutabbal (Artichoke Appetizer), Muhammara (Red Pepper Appetizer), Fatayir Bi Sabanakh (Spinach Pies), Fried Kibbeh, Thoum (Garlic And Potato Appetizer), Ful Medames (Bean Pottage) and Kishkeh (Bulgur And Yogurt Appetizer).

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Gord on Grapes

Gordon Stimmell shares his inexpensive picks of wines to pair with chicken Kiev, grilled shellfish, braised back ribs and rib-eye steak.

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It's all about flavour

Forget love, all you really need is flavour: A few Asian spices to perk up a block of tofu. A few Indian spices to transform basmati rice into a great pilaf. And some orange zest to give zip to a fruit tart.

Recipes include Poached Tofu with Spicy Sauce, Carrot Pilaf and Raspberry Ricotta Tart

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NYC chef is hot stuff

Food editor Jennifer Bain give four out of five stars to Flavor, the new book by Rocco DiSpirito.

Just nominated for a James Beard Foundation award under the category "cooking from a professional point of view," this cookbook takes porn-style food photography to a new level. Photos of ingredients cut down the intimidation factor, while a colour-coded guide to whether ingredients are sour, salty, sweet or bitter teach you how a dish should be balanced. 

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Take a bite out of television's fabulous foursome

Canada may have had to wait longer than the US for the finale of Sex and the City, but the wait gave them a little extra time to plan their treats for the big night.

This Friday, as people gather in front of boob-tubes across the nation to watch the final episode of Sex And The City, some will literally devour their favourite characters thanks to the Queen of Tarts (283 Roncesvalles Ave., 416-651-3009). The bakery is selling $6 gingerbreads dressed as (from left, above) Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha.

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Not a liver lover? Try it in a salad

Chicken livers are not big crowd favourites.

You'd think that tossing them in Cajun-spiced Japanese breadcrumbs and serving them on a salad wouldn't help matters.

Wrong!

You can toss a lot of things in Japanese breadcrumbs to entice me. Liver, however, is not one of them. If you’d like to give it a try, check out the recipe for Cajun Chicken Liver Salad.

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Toronto Star – March 31, 2004

The healthy kitchen

Your meals can be fast and fresh if you replace fat with flavour

By combining exercise with recipes from the Toronto Star’s test kitchen, participants in the Star's Get Healthy Challenge hope to change their lifestyle to get to a healthy weight and maintain it.

Our 14 participants are working out three times a week (twice with a personal trainer provided by the Star) at GoodLife and YMCA gyms. They're pounding away on treadmills and cross-trainers, lifting weights, crunching abs — committed to a 16-week process that will measure their achievements. 

The article includes five of food editor Jennifer Bain’s healthy meal tips as well as recipes for:

* Green Beans In Cherry Tomato Sauce

* Spicy Broccoli

* Big Salad with Judy’s Dressing

* Hummus

* Salmon Teriyaki with Gingered Spinach

* Beef with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes

* Pasta with Olive and Caper Sauce

* Huevos Rancheros

* Chicken Couscous

* Papaya and Lime

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Liquid makeover

Suck It Back columnist Jon Filson describes Smirnoff’s new “this is not your parent’s vodka” look.

Gone is the busy red, gold and silver logo, in favour of a more simple, bolder and modern look that will be consistent across the globe. Gone is the 26-ounce-and-up bottle, which had the traditional slumped-shoulder look, replaced by one that's tapered from the top, a more aggressive stance. Gone also is the Russian crown as the major logo, replaced by a two-headed eagle.

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Screwcaps may soon be all the rage

Gord on Grapes columnist Gordon Stimmell thinks that corks are on there way out while screwcaps are on their way in.

The whole idea, of course, is to avoid cork-tainted wines. Cork taint makes a wine smell musty, like wet cardboard, and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. It spoils anywhere from 5 to 12 per cent of all wines sealed with traditional corks. The new, modern screwcap closures are vastly improved over those once used to seal jug wines.

Stimmell also mentions Oregon screwcap wines at the 13th-annual Oregon Wine Festival, and the variety of wines that will be featured at the upcoming 24th annual California Wine Fair.

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Cooking for kosher occasions

Susan Sampson reviews Gatherings: Creative Kosher Cooking From Our Families To Yours, the locally available cookbook that doesn’t look like the typical local recipe collection.

Don't expect to find a spiral-bound, sloppily edited book with vague, unreliable recipes. Expect, instead, colour photos that look good enough to eat, a clean and orderly style, and recipes that have been double- and triple-tested.

Since Gatherings came out in October, it has raised more than $80,000 for Netivot HaTorah Day School in Thornhill, according to a publicist. The Orthodox Jewish private elementary school is another success story. On opening day 20 years ago, 42 students walked through the door. Now there are more than 600. 

Includes recipes for Lemon Parsnip Soup and Moroccan Cilantro Fish, both suitable for Passover.

Food editor Jennifer Bain includes a test kitchen recipe for The Secret Is Pears Brisket, adapted from The Mensch Chef: Or Why Delicious Jewish Food Isn't An Oxymoron.

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Toronto Star – April 7, 2004

Trying to go with the slow

The article is about hard-cooked eggs, but what really matters is this:

An egg is so basic. But its simplicity is deceptive. The egg is hard to cook just right. And there is a multitude of ways to prepare it. A posting on the The Wit & Wisdom of Eggs forum at EGullet.com lists 127 just for hard-cooked eggs. 

Includes recipes for Sephardic Oven-Roasted Eggs, Anchovy Vinaigrette and Marbled Tea Eggs (adapted from a recipe at forums.egullet.org).

For information about egg sizes, check out Size matters when it comes to eggs (egg weights are given in grams).

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You can be a good egg — and eat one, too

Jennifer Bain and Susan Sampson discuss the relationship between farmers and egg consumption, and share recipes for Akoori (Indian Scrambled Eggs), Bundt Frittata with Asparagus, Spicy Olive and Caper Devilled Eggs and Eggs in Clouds.

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Conscientious chocolate

Food editor Jennifer Bain takes this candy-filled holiday to remind people just where their chocolate comes from.

Save the Children Canada is working hard on the first two points. Knowing consumers are the world's most powerful advocacy group, it is circulating a petition calling for an end to child trafficking and forced child labour in cocoa production, plus asking chocolate manufacturers to start buying cocoa that's free of exploitive forms of child labour.

She includes a recipe for Ethical Chocolate Cake.

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Gord on Grapes

Gordon Stimmell reviews inexpensive wines to pair with wiener schnitzel, hard cheeses, New York strip steak and breaded pork chops.

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For this pastry, it's custard's last stand — until next Easter

It’s exciting when those once-a-year treats become available, but sad to say goodbye to them for another year.

We're talking about zeppole, the Italian pastry that arrives in time for St. Joseph's Day on March 19 (when eating them is a must) and disappears after Easter Sunday. 

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Toronto Star – April 14, 2004

The scent of brown iguana

Jennifer Bain writes about a product that may have the same benefits as Viagra. The good news is that it is natural. The bad news is that it is, well, shredded brown iguana meat.

According to the Washington Post, wild iguanas once nearly overran El Salvador. But as people chopped them up for stew, and ate their eggs with rice, iguanas nearly disappeared and it became illegal to catch them.

Recently, however, Salvadorans have developed iguana ranches and processing plants to clean, package and freeze iguana meat for export to large American cities with Latin populations, like Washington, New York and Los Angeles. Canned garrobo soup is the newest innovation.

Includes recipes for Arepas #1 and Arepas #2.

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Cooking Latin-style is a cinch

Recipes for:

* Plantain Soup (Sopa De Platanos)

* Yuca With Garlic-Lime Sauce (Yuca Con Mojo)

* Baked Yellow Rice (Arroz Amarillo)

* Pan-Seared Steak With Chimichurri

* Pot Roast With Tomatillo-Chipotle Sauce

* Slow-Roasted Pork (Pernil Al Horno)

* Vanilla And Guava Whip (Chucula De Vainilla)

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Latin Markets

This article offers the names and locations of Latin markets in Toronto, Greater Toronto, and Southern Ontario as well as two on the internet.

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South Africa worth revisiting

A decade after apartheid ended, a new wave of freedom is washing over South Africa's wineries. At one time, giant co-ops held little wineries in a kind of slavery, but now hundreds have broken free of the stranglehold and are making distinctive wines. And a few new black winemakers are quietly beginning to make their voices heard in some wonderful wines.

Gordon Stimmell reviews affordable South African wines as well as wines to watch for from various regions.

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Anyone for crab cakes?

When you're using expensive crab meat, you want to get it just right. The bonus is that they are baked, not fried. 

Food writer Susan Sampson gives a recipe for Crab Cakes and Dip.

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All-Canadian dessert keeps it short and sweet

Recipes for Double Maple Walnut Shortbread, adapted from A Shortbread Sampler, a Toronto Star fundraising cookbook by Mary McGrath.

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Toronto Star – April 21, 2004

Readers digest

Ontario's literary types require plenty of food for thought at their book club meetings

When it comes to book clubs, sometimes the food served is almost as important as the books read.

Ontario is home to hundreds of book clubs. Some get together after dinner and the host offers nothing more than coffee, tea or a glass of wine. Others serve elaborate theme food, such as spicy samosas when discussing Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry, whose books are set in Bombay, or a selection of pies when reading Yann Martel's Life Of Pi (a gastronomic pun, since the book is not about pie, but about a shipwrecked Indian boy named Piscine). 

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Book clubs get in the mood with food

Talk about food for thought. When the SWIVEL book club in Ottawa meets, folks eat up before they get down to business. Some members, dubbed the SWIVEL Collective, have amassed the group's favourite recipes in Plots & Pans: The Book Club Cookbook (Sumach Press, 2002, $18.95). 

Recipes include:

* Cheese Torta

* White Bean and Sausage Salad

* Bourbon Pecan Pie

* Apricot Squares

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Chefs go wild with desserts

If you’re looking for exotic dessert recipes, the new cookbook Wild Sweets, written by Vancouver chefs Dominique and Cindy Duby, may be the book for you.

Wild Sweets is a book for professionals and dedicated pastry makers who will happily weigh out 60 grams of sugar rather than scoop a quarter cup, knowing that weight is a more accurate measurement. It's for people willing to make an adventure out of sourcing obscure ingredients, cut cubes to a precise 1-1/4 inches when 1 inch would probably do, and keep books on hand to look up complicated terminology.

Includes recipes for Pear with Smoked Mango and Anise Cookies and Spiced Roast Pineapple with Juice.

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Gord on Grapes

Gordon Stimmell reviews wines under $14 to pair with prime rib roast or steak, barbecued pork spareribs, and cream-sauced seafood pastas.

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We salute cheese whizzes

The Canadian Cheese Grand Prix was held this month, and this article offers the names and sources of the top six.

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Philly pheeding phrenzy

While Toronto languishes without a signature sandwich to call its own, citizens have been making do with Philadelphia's finest.

Various sub shops have been offering Philly-style cheese and steak sandwiches. This week’s Trendspotting column reviews a few of the popular choices.

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Simplicity is beautiful, not boring

Susan Sampson reviews “Very Simple Food,” and includes a recipe for Thai Corn Cakes.

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Toronto Star – April 28, 2004

The Rochester edge

When in America, deviate from the eaten track for Puerto Rican and soul food restaurants

Food editor Jennifer Bain crossed the border into Rochester, New York to find delicious food among the billboards and graffiti.

Seasoned pork shoulders on the bone are roasted at 450F for two hours, then refrigerated overnight. The next morning they get another three hours in the oven, and remarkably stay moist before being shredded for sandwiches.

Gorge on America

Your guide to the dining delights of Rochester

Bain offers links and more for tourism, restaurants and supermarkets in the Rochester area.

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Bittersweet cookbook victory

Judges went over to the dark side at the International Association of Culinary Professionals' 2003 cookbook awards on Saturday. They named Bittersweet: Recipes And Tales From a Life In Chocolate cookbook of the year. 

Other winners in some of the 15 categories are listed.

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Rose tea is hip

Designed to help launch a new mens' lifestyle magazine, HIGHRISE, this Rosehip Martini "rocked the house down." That's according to the Martini Club, the cocktail catering company that created it.

This brief article gives instructions for making the Rosehip Martini.

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Cooking for day-care kids is no small feat

There was an event called the Pantry Challenge at last week's conference for day-care cooks. Cooks turned tricky ingredients such as sweet potatoes and chickpeas into meals capable of impressing kindergarteners.

It's the fourth year for the conference, which has attracted about 100 day-care cooks from around the province. Joel Zelikovitz, of the food distributor Palmer Group, estimates there are about 6,000 day-care cooks in Ontario. Many work in small kitchens and feed hundreds. They worry about everything from special diets to special holidays. Nut allergies and lactose intolerance are concerns. So are balanced meals.

Includes a recipe for Carrot Coconut Cookies.

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Vineyards playing label name games

A few years back, a wine named Rotten Grapes hit the shelves. Words ran helter skelter on the chaotic label. While it was a memorable moniker, the wine was, well, rather rotten. It soon sank from the shelves, never to be swilled again.

Gordon Stimmell discusses some wines with funny names like Fat Bastard and Fat Cat.

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Cookies strike blow for British Empire

Susan Sampson’s “Retro Recipes” searches for long-lost or nostalgic recipes. This week, she provides a recipe for reader-requested Empire Cookies, along with a little history about the treat.

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Toronto Star – May 12, 2004

The wacky world of food gadgets

Some kitchen utensils are actually useful

Others are just plain weird, but wonderful

Food editor Jennifer Bain discuss some wacky and some useful kitchen gadgets, with photos.

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Giant cocktail party a first

Jon Filson’s Suck It Back column features cocktails in the context of Drinks Show 2004.

This is where the Drinks Show 2004, which will be held this weekend, quite appropriately at the Distillery District, comes in to change your life for the better. Billed as a North American first, it's one of the best ideas to hit this burg since maple met leaf.

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Get a taste of upscale Toronto

There are still tickets available for "an evening of glamour, indulgence and extravagance" to benefit Second Harvest. Toronto Taste brings together 70 chefs and 30 vintners for an evening of upscale grazing. Silent auctions, wine auctions, raffles and music round out the festivities. 

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What's hot and cool at the same time?

Gordon Stimmell ventures into the world of wine coolers, a drink that has been enjoying an increase in sales.

However, over five years, net sales have soared 75 per cent, outpacing the growth of beer, wine and straight spirits. In 2003/4, the LCBO sold 29.6 million litres of coolers.

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Two weeks on South Beach

Food editor Jennifer Bain takes readers through her attempt to combat the Star test kitchen weight gain with the South Beach diet.

And so it is that I turn, curiously and reluctantly, to a diet for help returning to healthy eating. I eat too much sugar, too much chocolate and too much food. So what if it's organic cane sugar, fine Swiss chocolate, and homemade food? 

The article includes recipes for Mocha Ricotta Creme, Mashed Cauliflower and White Bean Soup with Greens, adapted from The South Beach Diet and The South Beach Diet Cookbook.

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Toronto Star – June 2, 2004

Arabian rice dreams

In the Middle East, rice in all its guises is always nice — in fact, it's considered a mark of hospitality Canadians adore

Low-carb diets may be popular, but Toronto food writer Habeeb Salloum shows that rice is still on the menu for many Canadians.

"Ninety per cent of Canadians, both Arab and non-Arab, order rice as part of their food," says Victor Matiya, owner of the Jerusalem Restaurant at Leslie St. and Finch Ave. "As an example, shishkebab is offered on the menu with rice or fried potatoes, and almost everyone orders rice."

Includes recipes for:

* Rice With Vermicelli (Rizz Mufalfal)

* Rice And Lentil Soup (Shawrbat Adas)

* Lentils, Rice And Shrimp (Makbous Samak)

* Chicken Rice Stuffing (Hashwat Rizz)

* Stuffed Grape Leaves (Mihshee Waraq Inab)

* Rice With Fish (Sayadia)

* Rice Pudding (Rizz Bil Haleeb).

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German wines ripe for the sipping

Wine columnist Gordon Stimmell discusses German wines, and offers his thoughts on several affordable German wines.

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Gord On Grapes

Wine columnist Gordon Stimmell reviews wines under $13 to pair with marinated lamb chops, warm goat cheese salads and barbecue steaks/ribs.

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A finger in every pie

By the time Aitken died in 1971 at age 80, she was a Canadian institution. Relentlessly driven and cheerful, she was Martha Stewart with a political edge and farm country beginnings. But her influence extended way beyond the kitchen. This was a woman with her finger in every pie.

A new generation can get to know Mrs. A. at an exhibit of memorabilia and photos at Montgomery's Inn. It runs until Sunday. Plus, afternoon tea at the historic site in Etobicoke (416-394-8113) includes Aitken recipes until June 26. 

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Creative cooks are saying goodbye to stodgy strudels of yesteryear

Susan Sampson has been on the lookout for new types of strudel, and includes a recipe for Roasted Vegetable Strudel.

We have recently spied strudels stuffed with smoked trout and grilled apple; corned beef and cabbage; leafy greens; asparagus, cheese and prosciutto; pear, onion and cheese; curried chicken and wild rice; and goat cheese, dates and bacon.

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Ravishing radishes

Food editor Jennifer Bain offers recipes for Radishes with Goat Cheese And Cranberries and Edamame Salad.

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Drink of the Week

Now that the Jolly Miller has been reborn as the Miller Tavern, it is going after the cocktail crowd with a bar menu dedicated to spirits. Toronto cocktail caterering company the Martini Club designed this drink, the Exotique, for the Miller.

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Toronto Star – June 9, 2004

I scream for a machine

Making your own ice cream at home is an art and a science. It's not cheap, easy or fast. But it's fun

Making homemade ice cream is a lot of work, but as food writer Susan Sampson reminds us, the taste is worth the work.

It’s not fast, easy or cheap. What with all the chilling, churning and freezing, there's no instant gratification. But if you love natural ingredients and beautiful experiments, you may become a convert. 

Sampson includes information on different ice cream machines as well as some of her best tips. She incorporates tips from ice cream aficionado Sergio Castano-Garcia and definitions of different types of ice cream.

Recipes for Sinful Vanilla Ice Cream, Chai Ice Cream, Cappuccino Ice Cream, Tangerine Ice Cream and Milk Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Ice Cream

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A matter of taste

Vanilla is Canada's favourite ice cream flavour, according to a survey by Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream. Coming second is chocolate in the Maritimes, and maple walnut in Quebec. In Ontario, B.C. and Alberta, french vanilla is second and Neapolitan third. 

Check out this article for some of the favorite flavors of Toronto Star readers and colleagues as well as some of the favorite alternatives for those who don’t include ice cream in their diets.

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Ice cream timeline

Ice cream wasn’t invented overnight. Check out this timeline of ice cream through history for more information on its development.

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Screaming for the wrong reasons

According to the University of Guelph's ice cream Web site, when something cold connects with the roof of your mouth, the nerve bundle located there panics and tries to heat your brain by sending a message to dilate blood vessels in the head. Voilà! Headache.

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Liquor literature

Reaching for a new book over an old favourite is a common, if weighty, summer decision. But what do you reach for, an old favourite or take a risk with a new hardcover?

Jon Filson’s Suck It Back column delves into summer reading this week with a peek at Ty Wenzel’s Behind Bars: The Straight-Up Tales Of A Big-City Bartender and Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential: Adventures In The Culinary Underbelly.

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Screech is the word

Food editor Jennifer Bain discusses the flavors of Newfoundland, including Screech, a “wicked Newfie rum,” and bologna.

Anyway, bologna "sticks" are chopped into two-pound pieces and frozen until needed. For sandwich purposes, they're portioned into 1/2-inch thick slices and fried until crispy and a crust magically appears. (Don't ask for an explanation — it just happens.)

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Filmmaker continues McDiet

Not everyone eats like Morgan Spurlock in his documentary Super Size Me.

American filmmaker and animal trainer Soso Whaley has lost 10 pounds and lowered her cholesterol level by 40 points by eating three meals a day at McDonald's for 30 days.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – June 16, 2004

A celebration of rosy rhubarb

Savour the split personality of a vegetable that's used as a fruit

Food editor Jennifer Bain reports this week from Shedden, Ontario where folks know their rhubarb.

They know, for instance, how to use a popular plant to put themselves on the map. They know how to sell a rhubarb pie for $320. And they know all about the importance of manure.

This trio of tricks was revealed last weekend during the 12th Rosy Rhubarb Days in this village southwest of London.

Includes recipes for Seared Foie Gras with Rhubarb Sauce, Rhubarb Pilaf, Persian Lamb Stew with Rhubarb and Pork Chops with Rhubarb Chutney.

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Now this is good toast

Carb counters might want to skip over this article by Jennifer Bain about her toast indulgences.

My favourite — a habit I picked up while living in Hong Kong — is buttered condensed milk toast. (The South China Morning Post even lists it as one of the 25 reasons to love Hong Kong.)

It shows up at Chinese restaurants and food courts around Toronto. But it's spotlighted at a Taiwanese eatery on Yonge St. in North York called Green's.

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Gord on Grapes

Gordon Stimmell reviews inexpensive wines to serve with tomato-sauced pastas, beef shishkebab and rib roast and gravy.

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This man dishes out dreamy soup

Chef concocts soups with wild abandon

Toronto’s Soup Man, Brad McCrorie, has written his fourth soup cookbook: Soup Of The Day: 365 Delicious Soup Recipes For Every Day & Season Of The Year.

McCrorie's cookbooks cover the classics — like another of his favourites, French onion soup, thick "like a pudding" with caramelized onions and bread. But he is at his best on the rampage. He boasts there is nothing he can't turn into soup. Witness the antipasto soup with salami, olives and cheese; sole and grape soup; rabbit and prune soup; or raspberry soup with chocolate and lox. He converts traditional dishes like coq au vin or veal marsala into their liquid counterparts. He goes for multi-fusion, too, sometimes ladling French, Chinese, Asian and Mexican elements all at once.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – July 4, 2004

Raw fish but plenty of veggies

Niagara Falls restaurants, shops and hotels are making Japanese visitors feel right at home

Taking a box lunch on a sightseeing trip in Niagara Falls no longer means eating a soggy sandwich with a bag of chips, thanks to chef Tomo Izumita.

Izumita is chef and manager of Taki, one of three fine Japanese restaurants within walking distance of this town's main tourist street, Clifton Hill, yet far removed from its alien encounters, gaudy horror chambers and fast-food eateries.

All three restos have been discovered by lovers of Japanese food and by Japanese tour groups who make this the first stop on a six-day Canadian tour.

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A new generation takes reins at Gallo

Ernest Gallo’s granddaughter, Stephanie, now sits at the helm of the Gallo Winery.

Her thrust is to attract tweny- and thirtysomethings as consumers. She wants Turning Leaf to be the pivot when young consumers move to wine from coolers and beer after college. "And of course, we want wine to be a part of their lifestyle. So we create fruit-forward wines, not big wines, with some (but not complex) structure."

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Romancing the (vanilla) pod

Cookbook author Pamela Steel discusses vanilla and offers recipes for Vanilla-Scented Mexican Chocolate and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.

Too hot for hot chocolate? Nonsense.

In Mexico, foamy mugs of steaming chocolate, heavily spiced and scented with vanilla, have been tossed back since long before Montezuma's reputed thirst for the drink. The thinking goes like this: Drinking hot, spiced beverages causes your body to sweat and this cools you down. 

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Want a drink to match your intensity?

Learn how to make the Drink of the Week: The Intense Cocktail.

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Mouthwatering watermelon

Ah, the watermelon. Serve it in a bowl or by the slice, but don’t serve it cold.

In a recent Canadian Press story, Midland nutritionist Judy Scott Welden says watermelons prefer to spend an optimal seven to 10 days at room temperature. But she adds that the ideal temperature for these monsters of the melon world is 55F.

Includes instructions for making Watermelon Pop Stars (forget the refrigerator and head straight for the freezer) and a recipe for Chunky Watermelon with Leafy Greens.

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Powwow fuelled by fry bread

"To me, powwow is a celebration of the dance, of the community," says Veronica Dokis, one of about 200 people who live on this reserve near the French River. "It's about getting together, visiting and just having fun."

Hayden Taylor, who grew up on another Ontario reserve, writes that "there was nothing more exciting than comparing the hamburgers from three different tribal nations and, of course, watching all the strangers flood into our community."

Includes recipes for Turkey Bean Stir-Fry and Roast Chickens with Black Pepper-Maple Glaze.

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Do you believe in Magic?

We were inundated when Toronto reader Joan Caverly asked if anyone remembered the recipe for a salad dressing made with Eagle Brand condensed milk and a bit of elbow grease.

That unleashed a mailbox full of responses — and reminiscences about grandmothers, mothers, mothers-in-law, and old friends and family in the kitchen.

Includes recipes for Magic Mayonnaise and Homemade Cider Mayonnaise.

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Toronto Star – June 30, 2004

World rice crops threatened

Global warming linked to declines

Indeed, an average daily temperature increase of 1 degree Celsius resulted in a 10 per cent reduction in the rice crop, according to the researchers.

Increasing temperatures, thought to be a result of heat trapped by industrial and other chemicals in the atmosphere, have caused mounting concern in recent years. Scientists have argued over the potential effects of climate change on crops, largely basing their contentions on laboratory tests and computer models of climate and crop yield.

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Float into Canada Day

What could be more summery than sipping a cocktail on a patio or cooling off with an ice cream float? On Canada Day, you can have it both ways with this Big Girl Float.

Includes recipe for an alcoholic ice cream float made with vanilla rum.

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Good eating on Canada Day

Food editor Jennifer Bain offers a few reviews of Pakistani and Afghan food businesses nestled in a Toronto neighborhood.

With Canada Day looming, I decide to be a good Canadian — and a good neighbour — and finally do an eat-and-greet of this nameless 'hood.

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A toast to cranberries and cheese

Food editor Jennifer Bain reports from the test kitchen that Melba toast is expanding its product line.

She also includes recipes for Caramelized Onion and Cranberry Cheese Melts and Tofu Cacciatore for readers who are on the lookout for something different to do with tofu.

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Let's face it, we're all beer snobs

Jon Filson’s Suck It Back column tackles beer snobbery this week.

You drink whatever beer you drink for a reason, right? So you must think it's better than the others in some capacity ... and what's snobbery if not an irrational belief of betterness? Here's a look at some of the common beer snobs.

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Time for an ice cold cuppa

Yes, tea has been served cold since the 1800s. In those days, it was mostly made with green tea, called punch and heavily spiked with liquor. But the association says actual iced tea was popularized (like everything else, it seems) during a sweltering day at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Mo. Exhibitor Richard Blechynden, an English tea plantation owner, poured brewed tea over ice to attract more customers.

Food writer Susan Samspon appreciates classic iced tea while offering a few newer ideas.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – July 14, 2004

Gospel of the grill

Food writer Susan Sampson talks with Ron Shewchuk, self-proclaimed barbecue evangelist. His first cookbook, Barbecue Secrets: Unbeatable Recipes, Tips & Tricks From A Barbecue Champion, came out last month.

What we're talking about is Southern-style barbecue. Meat lovingly rubbed and slathered with sauces, cooked low and slow, smoked for hours over hardwood fires. Meat tended by true believers for as long as a day and a night. We're talking about folks who spray their offerings with glaze every hour and make secret notes.

The article includes his burger commandments as well as recipes for Sesame Mayonnaise, Chipotle and Garlic Aioli and Championship Rub.

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Beyond the daily grind

This summer's most popular hamburger is sirloin

According to food editor Jennifer Bain, Canadian supermarkets are offering ground sirloin in their meat cases. No matter what the grind in restaurants, more and more menus are offering dressed-up burgers.

Restaurants are jazzing up their burgers with fancy cheeses, artisanal bacon or prosciutto, fresh herbs, global spices, and luxuries such as foie gras. As Evans puts it: "These restaurants are raising burger-making to a fine art."

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Gord On Grapes

Gordon Stimmell reviews three inexpensive wines good for pairing with tomato pasta with sausage, braised spareribs and grilled shellfish or fondues.

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Don't call us, call them

Canadians in need of grilling and recipe advice can call the Weber Grill-Line at 1-800-GRILL-OUT (1-800-474-5568). The toll-free consumer grilling hotline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 364 days a year. (They take Christmas off.) The Chicago-based line will answer queries about grilling and food and product safety, and offer recipes and meal-planning tips.

This article also offers a list of websites for information on the proper cooking of beef, turkey and more.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – July 21, 2004

Roll out the barrel

There are dozens of wineries and plenty of great wine discoveries

Gordon Stimmell heads to the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York.

My micro-mission was to explore the high-quality wineries clustered on the Lake Seneca Wine Trail (http://www.senecalakewine.com). My guide was Robert Ketchin, who represents New York wines in Canada.

We made some great discoveries, including amazing pinot noir in Lockport, near Niagara Falls, and stellar rieslings south of Rochester.

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Here's to American beers

Jon Filson’s Suck It Back column talks about American beers, past and present.

In the past 20 years, the U.S. experienced a craft beer renaissance similar to Canada's. According to CNN, there are more than 1,400 craft breweries in the U.S., and nearly 1,000 are brewpubs. Craft brewery sales rose by 5 per cent in the U.S. last year — a greater increase than any other category. Compare that to 1983, when according to The Big Book Of Beer, there were only 80 breweries in the entire country, with just 51 different owners.

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A view from Brazil

Food editor Jennifer Bain profiles Lucia Neves, chef/manager of Yummy Yummy. Includes a recipe for Lucia's Stroganoff.

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Where there's fire, there's barbecue

You can get to the meat of matter at the Canadian open barbecue championships in Barrie July 31 to Aug. 1. It's the first event of the fledgling Canadian Barbecue Association, and it's piggybacking on Kempenfest, an arts, crafts, antiques and entertainment festival. 

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A Rosie way to shop

Jennifer Bain believes that Toronto needs more Rosie Robin Convenience stores.

Inside, there's real food alongside the standard, packaged convenience fare. There are hand-scooped Tropical Treets mango and Sicilian pistachio ice creams, carrot cakes from Dufflets, Top Taste beef patties, and home-cooked Caribbean oxtail with rice, pumpkin soup and codfish cakes.

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Policing the snapper debate

Food writer Susan Sampson looks into the snapper debate—whether or not the snapper for sale in the store is red snapper.

We went swimming in murky water in search of the truth about snapper after a Newsday report last week. It said that in the United States, Peter Marko, a professor of marine science at the University of North Carolina, tested the DNA of 22 fillets labelled red snapper and found three-quarters were not the real thing. 

[TPO]

Toronto Star – July 28, 2004

Churrasco inspires love

A former truck driver cooks up delectable chicken at his grill house in London's Little Portugal

Rei dos Leitoes in London, Ontario specializes in Portuguese-style barbecued chicken cooked at high temperatures in a wood-fired brick wall.

Vieira's chicken is meaty, moist, smoky and smeared with a luscious deep red-brown, oily sauce that is at once salty, spicy and garlicky, with a background tang of lemon or vinegar where no one flavour dominates.

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The burgers of my youth

But there's a movie opening this Friday called Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle that's bound to drag a lot of people's hidden dependency into the light, so I thought I'd boldly lead the way,

Check out this article for everything you ever wanted to know about White Castle and more, including a close-up photo of their famous square hamburger.

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Under the influence of elk

Elk — It's the new beef. Okay, that's an exaggeration. But when you're eating elk burgers, steaks and sausages, and mingling with elk farmers on an elk farm during an elk festival, your perceptions understandably run amok.

Includes links for elk recipes, cooking tips and more, as well as recipes for Elk Venison Medallions with Balsamic Reduction and Elk Herder's Tamale Pie.

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Gord on Grapes

Gordon Stimmell discusses three affordable wines to pair with pizza, chicken with creamy pasta and beef or lamb shishkebab.

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Family time at the table

In the Bookmark column, Susan Sampson reviews Weekday Wonders: Healthy Light Meals For Every Day.

THE GOOD:Recipes are easy, yet still show a bit of adventurousness. Book raises funds for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

THE BAD: Reisman lavishes too much praise on some of the dishes, so it can be a letdown when you taste the results. 

Includes a recipe for Shoestring Oven Fries.

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Liquid elixirs

Food editor Jennifer Bain encourages readers to get out their blenders and make their own shakes, slushies and smoothies.

The best thing about homemade beverages is that you're not at the mercy of the fast-food and doughnut joints that are trying to outdo each other in the frozen drink department.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – August 4, 2004

Shop the Greek way

DeckSunny cuisine in the spotlight as Athens welcomes the world

Food writer Susan Sampson offers shopping tips for readers who want to bring a little Greek into their kitchen.

We'll be ready in multicultural Greater Toronto, home to an estimated 150,000 Canadians of Greek descent — and to Greek food galore. We all know about the restaurants. But if you want to bring this simple and sunny cuisine into your kitchen, where do you shop? 

Check out Let the Games and snacking begin for the following recipes:

* Real Greek Salad

* Eggplant Dip with Walnuts And Coriander

* Chard, Tomato And Feta Omelet

* Arugula Salad With Pastourma

* Sweet-Salty Roasted Walnuts

Check out Shopping for Greek food for tips on where to get Greek ingredients in greater Toronto.

Find internet links at Meet the Greek community online.

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Cottage country wine festival

Gordon Stimmell discusses Canadian growers who strive to grow as much as they can in their country’s climate.

"I want to make $8 or $10 blended wines from vines people can grow even up in Sudbury," says Paterson. In the same young test plot are pinot gris vines planted in 2000 that survived minus 30C last winter with no damage.

Stimmell also discusses a few wines under $20 and a few over $50.

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Popcorn woes

Let's take a moment to mourn the demise of the small popcorn at Famous Players theatre. It leaves behind its regular ($4.79) and large ($5.21) compatriots.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – August 11, 2004

Urban fishing tales

Contrary to popular belief, you can fish for salmon in Lake Ontario — and eat your catch

Food editor Jennifer Bain went on a mission to find out whether or not Lake Ontario salmon is safe to eat.

So let's try to sort things out by stepping aboard the Salmon Express, one of Bernhard and Dolly Erbrecht's two charter boats moored in Port Credit's marina. It's 34 feet and equipped with electric downriggers plus the all-important kitchen and barbecue.

Salmon four ways

Recipes for:

* Bernhard's Salmon Casserole

* Dishwasher Salmon

* Surreal Cilantro Sauce

* The Osters' Favourite Salmon

* Blackened Salmon Po-Boy Sandwiches

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The battle of the Glens

Jon Filson ventures out to Canada's only single malt distillery and talks about it in this week’s Suck It Back column.

"Glen" is also featured in the name of Glenora Distillery, which sits near Glenora Falls and produces a single malt whisky called Glen Breton Rare. And it's the Canadian company's use of the name "Glen" in its whisky's brand name as well as the word glen's association with scotch — common brands include Glenfiddich, Glenlivet and Glenmorangie — that has upset the Edinburgh-based Scotch Whisky Association. 

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Gord on Grapes

Gordon Stimmell reviews inexpensive wines to pair with burgers or steaks, roast chicken, and beef stroganoff.

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Glens of the world unite!

Guest columnist Glen Colbourn wonders about the appropriate use of his name.

The Scotch Whisky Association of Scotland is demanding that Glenora Distillery in Cape Breton, N.S., drop the "Glen" from the name of its Glen Breton Rare single malt whisky. The whisky association says it may mislead buyers into thinking the Canadian whisky is from Scotland.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – August 25, 2004

For the love of dining

These people eat with passion

A look at three sets of food lovers

Never underestimate the distance a person will go for a craving that consumes the soul and possesses the mind until it's satiated.

For many, there is nothing more desirable than the perfect food. It may be fantastically rare or a simple pleasure. Think about the sensual murmur of maple crème brûlée on the tongue, or the sweet flesh of figs infused with the tang of balsamic vinegar. 

Emily Mathieu talks to two people willing to go the distance -- Myrto Mylopoulos and Alissa Moszynski.

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The meat of the matter

Nawzar Hamarashid left a long message on my voice mail recently asserting that he makes the best kebabs in Toronto at Mr. Fresh Meat Chicken. It takes gumption for a small store owner to make a call like this, so I agree to try a kebab at the shop with the irresistible name.

Mr. Fresh Meat Chicken (Unit 7, 80 Ellesmere Rd. at Pharmacy Ave., 416-385-0444), it turns out, is the legal name. The shop is known informally as Nouzar Halal Fresh Meat. 

Food editor Jennifer Bain discusses her experiences with the kebabs.

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Gord on Grapes

Gordon Stimmell reviews inexpensive wines to pair with shrimp dishes, calamari, garden salads, seafood and veal shank or stews.

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Mixing beer with the bathroom

Jon Filson’s Suck It Back column reviews the Big Book O' Beer as well as the ten things he learned from it.

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Soul food made by soul mates

Food editor Jennifer Bain discusses chef Elena Embrioni of Tasty Restaurant & Patio.

Includes recipe for Cheese Grit Cakes.

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Dreaming of greens

Who says salads have to be ordinary?

Not Sheila Lukins, whose culinary adventures range from the influential Silver Palate cookbooks two decades ago to her latest effort, Celebrate! 43 Celebrations, 350 Recipes (Thomas Allen & Son, 2003, $29.95). 

Includes recipes for Parsley and Radish Salad, Crisp Celery Salad and Tangerine Vinaigrette.

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An ode to ice as summer fades

Nothing like some chills and thrills on a summer's day. I'm talking about tall, cold drinks, preferably sipped on a patio as you mop your brow. They can be packed with fruit, shaken with milk or spiked with liquor — just as long as they are loaded with ice. 

Includes recipes for Tango Licuado, Frozen Mint Lemonade, Kaffir-Ginger Lime Spritzers, Bingria, Pineapple Vodka Crush, Thai Iced Coffee and Watermelon Chill-Out.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – September 1, 2004

Back to cooking school

The road to school is filled with kitchen gear for food lovers as we present our annual cooking school directory

As school kids and university students return to class, the rest of us can take a moment to consider continuing (or starting) our kitchen education with a cooking class.

This annual list is compiled as a service to readers by requesting listings from Ontario cooking schools. The free listings are edited due to space limitations, so please verify all details with the schools directly. The Star has not visited or reviewed any of the schools for this article.

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Portrait of a great escape

Randy Starkman, is a Toronto Star sports reporter, spoke with David Wood. Wood had a food business in Toronto that left little time for his family. He sold his interest in the business and moved back to his family farm in B.C., where he happily makes cheese.

The Salt Spring Island Cheese Co. makes about eight flavours of goat cheese, plus a white-and-blue cheese version of goat camembert. The cheese is vacuum-packed for a two-month shelf life. 

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Winemakers going to the dogs

Gordon Stimmell talks about Bad Dogs wine.

Calling any wine a dog seems foolhardy, but naming it Bad Dog seems downright dangerous. But with so many critter wines around - like the chunky Little Penguin wines from Oz, and the dry Thirsty Lizard, not to mention the rotund Fat Cat - I was not surprised.

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Cottage country cuisine

Susan Sampson reviews Best Summer Weekends Cookbook. Includes recipe for Grilled Mango with Ginger Coconut Cream.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – October 13, 2004

A cheesy feast

Raclette is the new fondue for hungry do-it-yourselfers

Canadians embrace this French meal

The popularity of raclette grills is increasing.

An electric element under the Swissmar grill heats the metal to close to 450F — perfect for searing food quickly. We gladly let our experienced hostess arrange pieces of food on the grill to cook while we melt cheese under the broiler in our trays. Then we transfer a few choice cooked morsels to our dinner plates. The grilled scallops are especially delicious.

Cheese, please

Where to buy cheese that will melt nicely for your raclette party

Getting the goods on the grills

With four companies now selling raclette party grills in Canada, you know this trend is hot.

Raclette party primer

Tips for preparing for a raclette party.

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The food and mood in P.E.I.

Each year, Canada's smallest province welcomes, feeds, entertains and soothes 1.2 million visitors. Even the ones who find it difficult to slow down. That's about eight guests for every Islander.

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Wine warp

Gordon Stimmell discusses Bulgaria, and some of the wines from Bulgaria that are available in Ontario.

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Finally, an easy way in

It happens all the time: You're standing there, staring at a wall of whisky in the LCBO, with cash to spare and a desire to try something new ... but without a clue to what brand you should be considering blowing your bucks on. So even though you know Jack Daniels has watered down its proof from 86 to 80 per cent, you grab another bottle of the same old thing, head home and wonder what might have been ....

[TPO]

Toronto Star – October 27, 2004

Chowing down

White or red?

For chowder lovers, those are fighting words. They still argue the merits of creamy Boston-style versus tomatoey, Manhattan-style chowder. At the Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival, one couple lean over to tell me that a chowder simply must be creamy — anything else would be sacrilege. They are from Boston.

Includes recipes for Seafood Elyse Chowder and Southwest Seafood Chowder.

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Celebrity chef recipes include Rôti De Porc Au Lait, Kicked-Up Fiesta Loaf, and Tarragon-Shallot Egg Salad Sandwiches.

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Schoolkids learn passion for food

Columnist Marion Kane visited with Paul Finkelstein, chef turned teacher.

"Finkel," as he's affectionately known to his students, grew up in Don Mills and is married to a fellow graduate of the Stratford Chefs School with whom he has three young children. Four years ago, he joined this school where he is a popular, natural-born teacher.

As we enter his giant classroom, which, for the past month, has also operated as the Screaming Avocado Café serving breakfast and lunch five days a week, I can hardly believe my eyes.

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Peanut butter substitutes put to taste test

Food editor and writer Susan Sampson gathered young taste testers to check out five peanut butter substitutes.

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The value of wine

It was the best of wine values and the worst of wine values in two fascinating tastings amid a swarm of wine events in recent days. Some of the best wine buys were discovered in a Chilean blind tasting. And some of the worst among — what else? — the most expensive wines in the world.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – November 3, 2004

CLAWS AND EFFECT

Lobsters in the lab

Food writer Susan Sampson finds out what makes a healthy lobster.

As you head down the stairs at the Atlantic Veterinary College, the air starts to smell like the sea. Here, in a series of small rooms and labs, dubious lobsters are inspected, injected and investigated. Big, beautiful, speckled specimens scuttle in saltwater tanks. The unlucky ones lie dissected in the post-mortem room. In a lab down the hall, the fridge is stocked with pathogens and parasites. Scientists bend over microscopes and inject lobster DNA samples. Their white coats are stamped with the centre's clever and classy logo, featuring a letter L formed from the claws of a stylized lobster.

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Lobsters in the pot

Food writer Susan Sampson brings us to “lobster central” in Prince Edward Island.

Tourists by the busload arrive hungry to taste an Island tradition: the lobster supper. The tourists mingle with Islanders who have proudly brought along their visitors "from away." And then there are the local families celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, and conference-goers who prefer to eat and drink their fill to the raucous sounds of Celtic music.

Recipes include Lobster Salad with Spicy Lemon Dressing, Tomalley Croutons and Sweet Potato and Lobster Soup With Orange Crème Fraîche.

Lobster tips

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Gord on Grapes

Columnist Gordon Stimmell reviews inexpensive wines to go with Thai-battered shrimp, veal scallopini and saffron shrimp paella.

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Cross-cultural pizza party

So thank you Tandoori Bazaar/Apna Pizza for devising an Indian-style pizza that's so unequivocally delicious, it's bound to make a dent in our rabid consumption of plain-old pepperoni and not-truly Hawaiian pies.

Includes recipe for Bombay Bhel Puri.