DIGEST: The Toronto Star

[TPO]

Toronto Star – November 10, 2004

The shuck treatment

There's a need for speed when members of the oyster cult feed seafood lovers at festival

Susan Sampson went to Charlottetown to the Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival.

Oyster shucking is like a cult. Bil belongs to a small fraternity (yes, mostly men) of true believers who pick up converts on the competition circuit. They make the rounds at shuck-offs and fight each other for titles like "The Shuck-King." They have shucked thousands of oysters in places as far-flung as Japan, Australia and Ireland, home of the world cup.

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Heavenly retreat for wine lovers

Gordon Stimmell went to Banff for the 13th annual Festival of Wine and Food at the Fairmont Banff Springs resort. He sampled 92 wines and shared his thoughts on some of them.

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Let the dark ages begin

Jon Filson’s Suck It Back column discusses the lack of good beer lately, and recognizes a company that just might change that.

Enter Sleeman's. For two reasons, it's great to see Sleeman's introduce a porter as a seasonal beer this winter, as part of its "John Sleeman Presents" series. For one, it's simply terrific that Sleeman's, one of the great craft breweries in this province and once an industry leader, is getting back to brewing beer — instead of focusing on über-market-friendly items like Sleeman Clear, its low-carb beer or hyping that it re-invented the can.

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It's almost Milk time

Canadians adore their Milk Calendars, and the 28th annual rendition arrives Nov. 20 in 40 Ontario daily newspapers. The calendar even starts in December, for almost instant gratification. Chicken and pasta dishes dominate the 22 recipes, but carnivores will like Pan-Seared Steak With Caramelized Onions (December) and Mini Meat Loaves in muffin tins (September). 

[TPO]

Toronto Star – November 17, 2004

Nigella does T.O.

The British 'domestic goddess' breezes into Toronto for a one-day visit

She adores food, abhors diets and misses her kids

Nigella came to Toronto for the first time and promoted her fifth cookbook, Feast: Food That Celebrates Life.

Nigella dips into various cultures to make meals in Feast. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter and Valentine's Day get lavish attention, as do Passover, Rosh Hashanah and Eid, not to mention wedding and funeral feasts, "kiddiefeasts" and even Halloween.

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Swedes love to make merry

Christmas means fun and feasting

Annual fair runs on weekend

Along with great cars, talented hockey players and catchy ABBA tunes, those tall, handsome Swedes certainly know how to celebrate Christmas in style.

Their traditional holiday smorgasbord is such a groaning board of delights, they serve it for three days, relishing every morsel of marinated seafood.

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Gord on Grapes

Gordon Stimmell reviews wines for $14 or less to pair with lemon chicken, scallops, chicken pot pie and barbecued spareribs.

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Knocking back a few wet ones

What's the latest trend in dining? Water, according to sommelier David Smuck of Epic restaurant in Toronto.

Oops, make that l'eau — not tap water. The restaurant reports it has introduced a "L'Eau menu" of 25 bottled waters from around the world.

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The colour purple is chic in the kitchen

Pamela Steel finds purple – in the form of the herb, lavender – showing up on restaurant menus. Includes recipes for Lavender Crème Brûlée and Sliced Oranges with Lavender Honey.

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Grate expectations for getting that barbecue clean

An alternative to the standard brushes and scrapers is the GrillStone. It looks like a soft, crumbly pumice stone and conforms to the grate as you rub, easily stripping grease, as well as some rust, and adding a shine. The crannies where horizontal and vertical joints meet are still tricky bits.

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Phyllo ready for close-up

Food editor Jennifer Bain gives a few phyllo tips along with a recipe for Salad with Goat Cheese Phyllo Bundles.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – November 24, 2004

Sommelier skills

Gordon Stimmell was a judge at the Best Ontario Sommelier Competition for the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers.

But at the top of the game are select individuals with a passion for wine and a pursuit of perfection. These individuals never stop learning, not only about wine, but about people and their needs. It's all about service, in the best European sense.

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Seaweed and a slice of life

Irish moss is a commodity that links a coastal community, Seaweed extract called carrageenan is a food additive in big demand

Susan Sampson traveled to Miminegash on Prince Edward Island to the Seaweed Pie Café and their seaweed pie made with Irish moss.

Irish moss is a red seaweed that is hugely important to the food industry worldwide. It's a major source of carrageenan. You'll find this food additive listed on an increasing array of labels on cans, bottles, packages and tubs. Carrageenan mingles with an unsettling hodgepodge of mystery ingredients — part of the chemical stew in today's processed foods, you might think. But carrageenan is technically a natural product, and thus is even found in organic ice cream.

Includes recipes for Emeril's Spiced Irish Moss Pudding and Orange-Scented Carrageen Mousse.

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It's easy drinking Green

In this week’s Suck It Back column, Jon Filson claims that “Johnnie Walker has woken up.”

And it's done so in order to sell you a bottle of Green Label 15 Year Old, only the fifth new brand launched by the company in 184 years. This is the buzz scotch of the moment among the suit-and-tie sipping crowd. It's not on LCBO shelves yet, but the brand was doing brisk business at the recent Spirit of Toronto drinks' showcase. It will arrive in Toronto either in late December, or more likely, in January — but if you're travelling, you may be able to snag a bottle sooner.

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Truffles that kick

"Sweet and delicate at first bite, with a kick that's cowgirl strong," goes the slogan for Cowgirl Chocolates. And indeed these rich chocolates have a spicy undertone from cayenne pepper and other spices. 

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Singling out doubles

Jennifer Bain explores Toronto’s fast food: Trinidadian Doubles.

Spiced chickpea filling will always be enveloped by two pieces of soft fried bread, but from there the variations can be slight yet endless for this "doubled-up snack." Some places are skimpy with the filling, others weigh the doubles down with it. Fillings might be mild and runny, or thick and spicy. 

Bain includes the best places to get one, and a recipe for Trinidadian Doubles.

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Puerto Rican Recipes

Jennifer Bain attended the annual Association of Food Journalists conference in Puerto Rico, and shares her food experiences as well as recipes for Ritz-Carlton Muffins With Guava And Cheese and Ritz-Carlton Red Beans.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – December 1, 2004

Ontario's new wine crop

Seven fresh wineries in Niagara have grape expectations despite Mother Nature's bad moods

The 127 wineries in Ontario keep wine writer Gordon Stimmell busy. For this article, he visits a few of the newer ones and discusses the wines they offer.

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Cool job for gay guy

Ted Allen, the food and entertaining guru on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, made his first visit to Canada and food writer Susan Sampson was there to cover it.

show has made him a celebrity, and he is branching out into product endorsements and speaking engagements. On this occasion, held last week, he is promoting four hard liquors, neat or with low-carb mixers, for the Diageo spirits company. That includes his "drink of choice," Tanqueray and tonic.

Includes recipe for Parmesan Crisps.

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Broth world expands

Food editor Jennifer Bain is happy that Knorr now has more vegetable broth offerings in Canada. Includes recipe for Asian Beef Stew with Bok Choy.

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Cambodian adventures

In this guest column, Mark Parr discusses the restaurant he had in Cambodia before he returned to Canada.

Civil war, insurrection, riots and a coup aren't the ingredients for a successful restaurant. But restaurants are all about food, and Cambodian cuisine has survived all this and more. Unfortunately, my restaurant in Cambodia didn't survive, but I saved some recipes.

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When noodle-making is an art

Order hand-pulled noodles at Dong Bei Wang in Pacific Mall’s food court and you are in for a treat.

He'll slam a ball of it down just inches away from you on the stainless steel counter, then stretch, twirl and pull until it somehow — magically, effortlessly — separates into a tangle of delicately thin, impossibly long strands.

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Drink of the Week

Goldschläger, a cinnamon schnapps liqueur with gold flakes, is at the root of this Gold Mine — a drink designed by the Martini Club to appeal to young shooter lovers. "It's all the things that we smell around Christmas time, although it looks very tropical," says co-owner Laura Panter.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – December 8, 2004

Merry mishmashed holiday

Food editor Jennifer Bain spoke with Sharon Travis about her annual Chanumas party.

She whips out a tray of sweet treats she'll be serving at Chanumas time — like chocolate rum truffles, raspberry-almond lattice bars, pecan tassies and Rice Krispies Christmas Trees. She thumbs through well-loved recipe binders filled with folded, faded handwritten favourites and recipes torn from magazines and newspapers.

Includes recipes for Sylvia Fedder's Latkes and Cherry Cheesecake Bars.

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Berton's famous turkey column

Years ago a man named Morton Thompson, who was a columnist for the Hollywood Citizen-News, and a very good columnist indeed, published a column called "How to Cook a Turkey." He did not publish it once; he published it regularly every year just before Thanksgiving, but it took five years before more than a handful of his readers took it seriously, discovered it was not just a gag, and began to use the recipe themselves.

Includes Thompson’s instructions, originally published on December 22, 1958.

Check out Berton's big bird for the instructions formatted as a recipe.

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Visions of sugar plums

If baking's not your thing but you still want to impress holiday guests at dessert time, try these balls.

If you liked finger painting or playing with clay when you were a kid, you'll like making Christmas balls. It's is a hands-on event.

Includes recipes for Rum Balls, Crème De Menthe Balls, Sugar Plums, Walnut Toffee White Chocolate Truffles, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

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Christmas time becomes one more time for wine

With the wine gift-giving season in full swing, it's a challenge for shoppers to tell the good stuff from the lousy stuff dressed up in pretty packages. Fortunately, I began tasting wines in gift box sets back in August and can report on winners.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – December 15, 2004

A Moroccan celebration

There are those who defend tradition at the Christmas table, and those who like to tinker with it

Cookbook author Habeeb Salloum visited Morocco and was surprised when the host served turkey for dinner.

"I used to live in America and looked forward to their Thanksgiving dinners," my host replied with a smile. "When I returned, I taught my wife to prepare turkeys for our guests, and now she prepares it Moroccan-style — stuffed with couscous."

Recipes:

* Moroccan-Style Stuffed Turkey

* Broad Bean Purée

* Mandarin-Radish Salad

* Buttered Carrots

* Fried Bell Peppers

* Moroccan Mint Tea

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He has restaurants in his blood

Food editor Jennifer Bain profiles chef/co-owner Johnny Phang of e-dragon.

Recipe:

* Ma Po Tofu

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Gord On Grapes

Gordon Stimmell reviews affordable wines to pair with beef stew, coq au vin, and roast turkey.

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Please subsize me

What's the opposite of supersize? Must be subsize. Rhymes with minimize. For years, dietitians have been chiding everyone to cut down portion sizes. Are companies finally taking notice? 

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Oh, my aching sweet tooth

For those still in need of holiday sweets, here are six ideas.

Recipes:

* Strawberry Santas

* Spicy Cornmeal Cookies

* Coconut Fortune Cookies

* Lemon Fig Shortbread

* Espresso Shortbread

* Nanaimo Bars

[TPO]

Toronto Star – December 22, 2004

December 25 dining

Many Toronto restaurants and hotels stay open on Christmas Day

Whether you want a traditional Christmas meal or not, food editor Jennifer Bain has some suggestions.

There might have been a time when the city virtually shut down on Dec. 25, but in these multifaith times you'll have no trouble finding all sorts of diverse restaurants open on this particular statutory holiday.

More suggestions here:

Places that will feed you on Christmas Day

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Sparkling discoveries

Gordon Stimmell reviews over a dozen Champagnes and wines in this week’s Gord on Grapes.

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I'm a Rum University grad

The Bacardi marketing machine in full gear and at top volume is a seductive force. The rum company has rolled out the PR for two busloads of food journalists from all over North America: Cocktails in the tropical heat. A rock 'n' roll chef. A mixologist. A dash of history. Waiters serving a Latin lunch in military formation. A tasting session at "Rum University."

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The science of winemaking

The link between ground and grape is worth studying

Sometime over the holidays, an oenophile will be certain to ostentatiously swirl, sniff, taste and then announce that he can detect the presence of the apple orchard that once occupied the land where that particular vineyard now grows.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – December 29, 2004

Banner year for bargain wines

Gordon Stimmell reviews more than a dozen wines, ranging in price from $7 to $300.

We witnessed a changing wine world in 2004. French wines hit a horrible slump globally, while new world wines from Australia, South Africa, Chile and Argentina launched more shining stars.

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Shaky humour lurks in tasty banned beer

Jon Filson’s Suck It Back column takes on the LCBO’s banning of the Belgian beer Delirium Tremens.

Here's the catch: Delirium tremens is a psychosis of chronic alcoholism involving tremours and hallucinations. Hence, the pink elephants.

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Leftovers to end 2004

Lucky Strike Lanes, the utterly swank imported-from-America bowling lounge in Vaughan Mills, has one menu item that demands dissection.

It's an unabashedly unhealthy spin on macaroni and cheese. Or, as chef Kevin Belanger puts it, "it's the classic comfort food with a little bit of a twist." The twist being a key food duo is cooked, frozen, shaped into wedges, battered, deep-fried and served with fancy marinara sauce instead of lowly ketchup.

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A Caribbean tale of two Piña Coladas

A weathered sign outside the Barrachina restaurant and jewellery store (an odd pairing indeed) proclaims it the birthplace of the Piña Colada: "The house where in 1963, the Piña Colada was created by Don Ramon Portas Mingot."

But over to the west, the posh Caribe Hilton serves up an alternative theory: Bartender Don Ramón "Monchito" Marrero invented the Piña Colada there in 1954.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – January 5, 2005

Boost your grain power

From barley to brown rice, farro to kamut, a hearty variety of 'smart carbs' can help you lose weight

If you made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight or eat healthier, consider adding grains to your diet.

It may also be the easiest one to keep. By microwaving a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, packing a sandwich on whole-wheat bread for lunch, adding barley flour to cookie recipes and serving brown rice with dinner, you can cut your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Recipes:

* Barley-Stuffed Peppers

* Carrot Millet Pilaf

* Morning Muesli

* Couscous, Chickpea and Veggie Salad

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Whole grains rule

It's easy to add inexpensive, fibre-rich whole grains to meals and sneak them into favourite recipes.

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100 years of food

It was a big food anniversary year in 2004. A century ago, the St. Louis World's Fair introduced hamburgers and hot dogs, prepared mustard, the ice cream cone, peanut butter, Jell-O, iced tea and Dr Pepper.

Or did it?

Susan Sampson checks out the hype and the history of several favorite foods.

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World's fair favourites a century later

Food is always evolving. Here are two old favourites in millennial versions.

Recipes:

* Soy-Glazed Salmon Burgers with Ginger-Lime Aioli

* Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce

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Gord On Grapes

Pinot grigio a hot item

Pinot grigios have about a three-year shelf life, but are best consumed fresh. Of more than 12 sampled, here are the leaders of the grigio pack.

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This inn chef is a proud Scot

Jennifer Bain focuses on Chef Graham Black in this Inner Chef column.

Graham Black, executive chef for the Credit River Co. (http://www.creditriver.ca), which runs the Cataract Inn, Caledon Inn, Belfountain Village Store and Airport Road Rotisserie in the Caledon area.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – January 12, 2005

The vines that bind

Tragedy transported chef into Lake Erie wine country, but his story has a happy ending

His new winery is one of six in the province's burgeoning Amherstburg region

A tragic accident gave Chef Dennis Sanson time to think about what he really wanted in life.

Sanson Estate Winery is now one of six in the burgeoning Amherstburg wine region, on the north shore of Lake Erie. Just a year after hitting the market, two of Sanson's wines captured awards in the 2003 All Canadian Wine Championships, including a Baco Noir Reserve, which was named best in its category.

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A Catalonian and his artistic eye

Jennifer Bain profiles Chef Mariano Laguna of the George Street Diner.

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Hollywood and beyond

A quartet of recipes to ease your January blahs.

Recipes:

* Hollywood SpagBol

* Pastel De Choclo

* Balsamic Basil Chicken Scaloppine

* Chinese Long Bean Cashew Chicken

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Martini hits the spot

"I love the playfulness of this glass — it feels so good in your hands," says Michelle Hunt, whose Martini Club in the Distillery District (http://www.martiniclub.com ) sells this and other cocktailware. 

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A Chilean wine list

Ten years ago, Chile was mainly known for great value, entry-level wines, plus a smattering of top-end reds few had ever tasted in Canada. Since then, producers have filled out their ranges, with great value bargains, elegant middle-level wines, and super-premium luxury reds.

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Bad beer? Bad taste? Both? Or neither?

In order to start enjoying different types of beers, you have to go back and think about what it was like when you had your first beer. Because here's betting you didn't like it.

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Flavours of the year inspiration for cooks

And the flavours of 2005 are ...

Drumroll ...

Coffee, tangerine and pomegranate.

Recipes:

* Coffee-Braised Brisket

* Chocolate Pavlova with Tangerine Cream

* Muhammara

[TPO]

Toronto Star – January 19, 2005

The Arab Quarter

Tour a strip of Lawrence Ave. E. in Scarborough and discover `a mecca of Middle Eastern delights'

The aroma flowing out from the freshly baked fatyir bi za'tar is mouthwatering as my daughter and I sit down to have our breakfast at Arz Fine Foods on Lawrence Ave. E. on a strip called "the Arab Quarter" by Toronto residents who originate from the Middle East.

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Building a Canadian kitchen

What is Canadian cuisine?

Answering that question has become the life's work of Oliver Bartsch. As executive chef at Rideau Hall, the official residence of the Governor General in Ottawa, Bartsch masterminds 60,000 to 70,000 meals a year. He has cooked for the Queen. He has cooked for celebrities ranging from Wayne Gretzky to Céline Dion. And he has cooked for many ordinary Canadians. (How do cookies and hot chocolate for 3,000 sound?)

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Gord on Grapes: Three rieslings to celebrate

Gordon Stimmell shares his top picks for Ontario rieslings.

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From our test kitchen

Recipes:

* Sage and Mint Lamb Chops on Pea Mash

* Very Canadian Turkey Burger

* Horseradish Steaks & Rosemary Red Onions

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Lettuce eat more leafy lunch greens

Lettuce Eatery, a new designer food court restaurant offering daily doses of roughage, is causing bottlenecks under the TD Centre, but the fashionable Lettuce team makes the line move as quickly as models on a catwalk.

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Beef by any other name wouldn't sound so wholesome

A British Columbia beef company called Nomad Cows is capturing headlines for its inadvertently newsworthy name.

"When one hears the name stated verbally, one inevitably hears the term `No Mad Cows,'" says publicist Bernie Hadley-Beauregard.

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Give me meat-and-three

Spain has tapas, China its dim sum. And the American South has its own version of small-dish dining: meat-and-three. This being the supersize-loving U.S., the diminutive side dishes are served alongside a massive main course starring home cooking, southern-style. And how I wish we could get this kind of spread in Toronto.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – February 2, 2005

A primer on BYOW

Freedom at last! Now you can bring along your own bottle of wine when you dine out in some restaurants

At last we have joined the civilized world, where we can bring our own cellar wines to enhance the restaurant experience. The new law has taken effect and restaurants are applying for the licence, so it's all a matter of days away.

Gordon Stimmell adds his do’s and don’ts for BYOW.

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Winter can be delicious

The third annual Winter- licious offers food lovers three-course prix fixe menus at 120 restaurants between Jan. 28 and Feb. 10. Lunch is $10 or $20. Dinner is $20 or $30.

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Latte drinkers see hearts

Stuart Ross, the owner/barista of Bull Dog Coffee just off Church St., appears to be Toronto's first latte artist.

"Why do I do it? Because it's beautiful," says Ross. "I actually saw it done for me at Café Vivace in Seattle and your mouth just opens when they're making it for you. I saw it and I had to do it. It's a culinary art."

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We need a burger hero

Watch out Harvey's, because the Star gives a mighty endorsement to Hero's vegetarian Soul Burger ($4.95). "One of the best veggie burgers I've tasted," said one tester. Truer words were never spoken of a fast food soy product: firm, yet juicy, with a meaty texture that does not compete with true beef, but is flavourful in its own right. 

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Cuba for food lovers

Jennifer Bain reviews “In a Cuban Kitchen” by Alex Garcia.

Includes a recipe for Chayote-Avocado Salad.

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It's hot or on the house

First it was 30 minutes or it's free, then it was 40 minutes or it's free. Now it's "at or above 60 degrees Celsius or it's free."

No, it doesn't roll naturally off the tongue, but Pizza Pizza's latest pledge showcases the fact it has invested in LED temperature reading displays for 10,000 new delivery bags.

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Maple turns cocktail Canadian

This week, we asked Toronto's Martini Club (http://www.martiniclub.com) to concoct the Canadian spin — and it came up with the Maple Express. 

Includes instructions for making the cocktail.

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Fire in the belly

Jennifer Bain profiles:

Ernest Lam, Manchu Wok's vice-president of operations and person in charge of product/recipe development.

Includes recipe for Firecracker Chicken.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – February 9, 2005

Lust for lunch

An eyeful of luscious loveliness can be found in the simplest foods

This Valentine's Day, take a closer look in your shopping cart and on your plate. Peer behind your closed pantry doors and deep into the recesses of your fridge. You may see something that makes you blush. Something luscious and provocative. Something good enough to eat.

View the photo gallery (Note: Some may find these photos a bit provactive for young people.)

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Let's drink to the love of fine wine

In wine, as in life, what you see is not always what you get, and beauty is definitely more than skin deep. Just because the label is pretty does not mean the wine is seductive. Yet it's surprising how many shoppers go for the glamour, even when what's inside is more trash than flash.

Gordon Stimmell reviews labels, and the wines behind them.

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Lovely dishes satisfy every body

Recipes for Avocado Soup with Tomato Salsa, Honey Maple French Toast, and Creamy Chocolate Mint Espresso.

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Career change a sweet idea for cookie lady

Robin Nozetz went from graphic art to edible art. She had been working in the film business — on movies such as New York Minute and Assault on Precinct 13 — when she decided to "follow a dream" and bake cookies instead. Her business, Cookie Culture, has been open since November. She does pretty baskets, platters, catering, party favours, even "high-end coffee truck" cookies. "I'm really open to anything," says Nozetz. The cookies are handmade, daily, to order, at her home on Alcina Ave. near St. Clair and Bathurst.

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The kosher gourmet

Jennifer Bain speaks with Chef Eran Marom.

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The pleasure of skating and eating

A food reviewer's guide to keeping fit in winter: throw a pair of skates in the trunk of the car; keep an eye out for rinks as you cruise around town; skate half an hour for every meal consumed.

Andy Murdoch discusses four restaurants to pair with your skates.

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Name this mystery garnish

"I love caper berries — who doesn't?" says Lynn Crawford, executive chef of the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. Well, how about those of us who aren't yet hip to them? At a brunch at the hotel's Avenue restaurant recently, Bites watched guests puzzle over the item on the smoked fish buffet, alongside cream cheese and capers.

Edited February 10, 2005 by TPO (log)

[TPO]

Toronto Star – February 16, 2005

The grill chill factor

Blowing snow. Icy winds. Sub-zero temperatures. Winter barbecuing pits `man against nature' More Canadians are dashing out to grill year-round on their decks and patios

Yet more Canadians are rousing themselves from their hot cups of teas and chicken pot pies to venture outside and grill food, on an open flame, in sub-zero temperatures. In fact, between Thanksgiving and the May Two-Four weekend, close to half the nation's barbecue owners defy the cultural pressure, the ice on the patio and mom's disapproving looks to grill all types of food, according to a 2004 Leger Marketing survey done for Weber.

Year-round barbecue recipes:

Rack of Lamb With Balsamic Reduction

Easiest, Tastiest Steak

Tikka-Style Chicken Kebabs

Fozzy Burgers

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There's no fear of frying in Puerto Rico

Here, vendors work their magic with pots of sizzling grease. And their customers satisfy hunger pangs with twice-fried plantains, fried yuca rounds, fried cheese sticks. The tacos are flour tortillas, rolled, stuffed and fried. The pizzas are turnovers stuffed with cheese and tomato, and fried. Sweet fried plantains are wrapped around spiced ground beef or cheese and fried in batter. Grated green bananas and taro are wrapped around crabmeat or pork or beef picadillo, and deep-fried.

Recipes:

Bacalaitos (Salt Cod Fritters)

Aji-Li-Mojili Sauce

Tostones (Fried Plantains)

Yuca Fries

Mojo de Ajo (Garlic Dipping Sauce)

Barriguitas de Viejas (Fried Calabaza Dumplings)

Mojo Isleño (Fried Fish With Tomato Sauce)

Plantain Tipsheet

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Merlot bashing is unfair

Poor merlot. The darling variety that was everyone's red rave in the 1990s has been taking a lot of heat recently. Wine critics have lambasted it as flabby and soft, without much structure or backbone. Or, for that matter, staying power.

Gordon Stimmell reviews three merlots.

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No fighting is allowed over tasty Chinese buns

There is something about Chinese Traditional Buns that conjures up mental pictures of a different age. One imagines a medieval roadside diner seen only in kung fu movies: rough and tumble teahouses where Silk Road travellers stop to eat and inevitably end up tussling with scruffy brigands.

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Room at the inn for romance year-round

Let's turn instead to the menu, a reflection of the inn's robust charm, with simple dishes elevated by an imaginative and deft use of herbs and spices. 

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Have you roasted a pig yet?

"All I do is spice mine up, lay him on his tummy in a deep pan — his head can stick up and you can tuck his feet in — and put him in the oven," advises Brouillard, who handles orders at Town & Country Farms. "If you find that his ears are getting too brown, put some tinfoil over them. If you need it in a hurry, tinfoil the whole guy. It's just basically like cooking a turkey."

[TPO]

Toronto Star – February 23, 2005

Gord on Grapes: And the finalists are ...

The weekend event on March 5 and 6 celebrates excellence in Ontario winemaking with awards, a posh wine and dine extravaganza, and a weekend of mimicking Sideways — that is, crawling through two days of special events at Niagara wineries.

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Suck It Back: Audio-visual beer

Taps is a new beer and pub magazine, the brainchild of 47-year-old Bill Perrie, whom you have may heard of from such books as 2002's The Pub Lover's Guide to Ontario and the new The Pub Lover's Guide to Canada. 

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To buy: Cauli, fro yo, and g onions

Taking grocery gawking one step further, I began obsessively collecting shopping lists more than a year ago after reading a list I found on the floor of the supermarket where I work. Although it may seem like a strange hobby, the more lists I find, the more intrigued I become, realizing how much these pieces of paper tell us about people's shopping habits and even their personalities.

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Blushing over an identity crisis

If Blush were a movie instead of a Mississauga restaurant, it'd be a post-apocalyptic adventure or a rat pack caper — or some of each. But it is one to watch.

Formerly an Irish pub, the restaurant that opened in September occupies the main floor of an office building in a faux olde English development known as Sherwoodtowne.

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Meximum freshness

Yes, another newish fast-food restaurant with a décor borrowed from Ikea or somewhere Scandinavian — sure to please CBC employees across the street who live in similar-styled digs, but the liveliest thing here is a greasy scent that worms its way into your clothes over the lunch hour. 

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Yan can cook Chinese, fast or slow

Jennifer Bain’s review of Martin Yan Quick & Easy: Companion Volume To The Public Television Series.

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Retro Recipes: Sweet memories

"Being from the Maritimes myself, I am happy to say that I possess some very old, well used molasses recipes," Fay McAllister wrote to us. "They have been passed down through the ages by grandmothers and great-grandmothers."

Recipes:

* Molasses Drop Cookies

* Molasses Cake

* Molasses Buttercream

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Veggies take note

Finally, we have a veggie dog worth applauding. We declare the Oh Naturel! version leader of the pack. It's good enough to knock off the old top dog from Yves Veggie Cuisine.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – March 2, 2005

Our daily injera

Things you might want to know about injera, Ethiopia's oversized, spongy flatbread: The brown version is made from a tiny grain called teff and is authentic and expensive. People developed a taste for the cheaper white version, made from all-purpose flour, years ago when teff was impossible to come by in Toronto.

Recipes:

* Spicy Ethiopian Lamb Stew

* Ethiopian Yellow Split Peas

* Spicy Ethiopian Chicken

* Ethiopian Collard Greens

* Spicy Crumbled Injera

Ethiopian variety stores

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An Ethiopian entry to the Fashion District

Situated next door to Swipe Books (the glossy design bookstore), the newly minted Bole Café operates on a small scale for a big place. With 32 seats, the staff use the same white stove I have at home. In fact, they cook as leisurely as if they were at home, which is fine by me, but my job has flexible hours.

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Home cooking classes

Rediscovering South Asian roots

Traditional recipes are comfort food

For her first wedding anniversary recently, Munira Handa was presented with an Indian cookbook. Handa took it as a sign to forge ahead with a plan that had been simmering in her head for a while — she asked her mum to teach her how to cook the dishes she grew up eating. 

Recipes:

* Peas Paneer

* Lamb Curry

* Chicken Biryani

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Looking forward to spring sipping

We winter-weary folks are beginning to feebly think spring. Like, will it ever happen? So before we get out the patio lanterns or replace the backyard solar lights, let's look at fresh whites perfect for patio sipping.

Wine writer Gordon Stimmell reviews some of those whites, including one called Cat's Pee On A Gooseberry Bush.

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Chartreuse is green around the edges

Judy Gerstel reviews this Kleinburg restautant.

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Pass the peas, please

The March issue of Gourmet is dedicated to London. With articles such as "London A to Z," Nigel Slater's guide to favourite eateries and "East Side Story" about Old Spitalfields Market, it's essential reading for anyone curious about modern England. It's packed with recipes for updated classics. Here are three.

Recipes:

* Sunday Rib Roast

* Onion Gravy

* Smashed Peas with Mint Butter

[TPO]

Toronto Star – March 9, 2005

Go stuff a vegetable

Rice and meat fillings dress up everything from tomatoes to squash, grape leaves to cabbage leaves

Stuffed vegetables have gourmet status in Middle East and Mediterranean

Arabs, Greeks, Turks and other peoples along the Mediterranean shores of the Middle East disagree about many things, but they all agree about the gourmet attributes of stuffed vegetables. 

Recipes:

* Cabbage Rolls (Malfuf Mahshi)

* Stuffed Grape Leaves (Mahshi Waraq 'Inab)

* Stuffed Zucchini (Mahshi Kusa)

* Stuffed Peppers (Flafla Mahshi)

* Stuffed Tomatoes (Banadora Mahshi)

* Stuffed Eggplants (Sheikh al-Mahshi)

* Stuffed Acorn Squash (Qar' Mahshi)

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A glass of class

Restaurants pouring out pricey waters

Healthy trend has trickled into town

H2O with class has arrived. Tundra, at the Hilton Toronto on Richmond St., has had a water menu on offer since last June. A few other restaurants in the city are also on top of the trend, which originated in Europe. Tundra's menu features 10 different bottles, split evenly between sparkling and flat, from seven different countries.

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The matching game

Those who love food and wine usually first select the dish, then try to match it with a special wine. As in: "We're having meat lasagna tonight, so should we uncork the chianti or a zinfandel?"

Once in a great while, the reverse osmosis takes place, especially when world-class wines are involved. In these cases, we take a particularly amazing wine and try to whip up a special dish that complements it perfectly.

Includes reviews for several wines.

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From Our Test Kitchen

Recipe:

* B&E Sandwiches With Tomato Salsa

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Tradition's intact at the new Pancer's

Review of Moe Pancer's.

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Get cooking

Here are two recipes I've enjoyed lately, starting with the irresistible Snappy Cheese Crisps my mom made over Christmas.

Recipes:

* Snappy Cheese Crisps

* Pork Tenderloin with Blackcurrant Reduction

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These treats are Oso good to eat

To ignore a handmade sign in a window, written in black marker on brown canvas, without going in to investigate is unthinkable, especially when it advertises pastries and sandwiches.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – March 16, 2005

Green party

Going vegetarian for a week is a painless, healthy experiment for my family of four.

But staying that way takes a commitment we don't have

SUSAN SAMPSON

FOOD EDITOR & WRITER

Today, at the dinner table, he is likely to be heard demanding: "Where's the meat?" So, when I told him our family was going vegetarian for a week, he fortified himself for the ordeal by running to the market for a big striploin.

Additional information:

Types of vegetarians and wannabes

Veggie Challenge Recipes

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Oddball wines overlooked

GORDON STIMMELL

GORD ON GRAPES

In tasting through more than 200 wines recently, I was struck by several that do not easily fit into a category. We are so habituated to chardonnay and merlot, but if we only look for those varietals prominently plastered on the label, we can miss a world of nuance.

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This Irish beer is smiling

JON FILSON

DRINK OF THE WEEK

There are Irish options beyond Guinness, Kilkenny and Harp, including the products of the Oakville-based brewery, chiefly Paddy's Irish Red, and its Celtic Brown Ale. 

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St. Patrick's Day Recipe

JENNIFER BAIN

IRISH RECIPE

Recipe for P.J. O'Brien's Irish Stew

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Imaginative Italian wows the palate

JUDY GERSTEL

DINING OUT

Review of Villaggio Ristorante

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Found, but never lost

ANDY MURDOCH

LUNCH

Along ever-changing Queen West, Café Bernate — featuring a concrete bar embedded with bric-a-brac and found items like old coins — looks shabbily new. Or new to me, anyway — I didn't set foot inside Bernate until its reconstruction. 

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Bugfeast may squash appetites

SUSAN SAMPSON

In far-flung parts of the world, however, eating insects is no accident. In Thailand, for example, street vendors pile their woks high with fried water beetles and customers eat them like popcorn. (They are, I am told, an acquired taste: crunchy on the outside, with a gooey, fishy-tasting interior.) In Japan, roasted grasshopper in soy is a delicacy. And in Africa, the kids are sent out with nets to catch migrating locusts and mom fries them up for dinner.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – March 23, 2005

Where's your meat been?

Do you know how the cows, chickens and lambs you eat were raised and fed?

At a new organic butcher shop, you'll get the details

The Healthy Butcher's recent opening, at 565 Queen St. W. just east of Bathurst St., was big news in a neighbourhood dominated by young professionals and university students who are keenly interested in where their food comes from and how ethically, or humanely, animals are raised and slaughtered.

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Ontario had a little lamb

We're eating more of it, not just saving it for holidays

"If I had a dollar for every time someone tells me they don't like lamb, before admitting they've never tried it, I'd be rich!" says Jonathan Wort, a sheep farmer and general manager of the Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency.

Tips: Lamb's great roasted, stewed or barbecued

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Pinot noir enjoys an unexpected boost

The sudden surge in sales of pinot noir — largely due to the hit wine trip movie Sideways and its noirish character, Miles (Paul Giamatti) — caught me by surprise.

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Inside a chop suey house

Step in and you'll smell chicken balls and egg rolls bathing in bubbling oil. Look around and you'll spot brown paper takeout bags decorated in red with the names of key dishes and a sketch of a goddess. Soon they'll be stuffed with breaded shrimp, packets of plum sauce and individually wrapped fortune cookies.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – March 30, 2005

Guests are gold at Indian bistro

Linda Barnard reviews Tikki Tikka Indian Bistro.

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She has chocolate in her blood

So where did the Easter Bunny buy his bon-bons for this Star reviewer and his loved ones? Not from Shopper's Drug Mart, but from Frangipane Patisserie at Dupont and Madison. 

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Artisan baker opens in Kensington

Artisan baker Brian Kirk, profiled in this section in 2002, has finally opened up in Kensington Market. 

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You'll get your fill of Hamilton

The Canadian government reports that Hamilton has well-established Italian, Polish, Portuguese, German, Caribbean and Chinese communities, plus newly arrived Afghanis, Latin Americans, Somalis and Sudanese. Where there are diverse cultures, there's diverse food — in restaurants, takeout joints and grocery stores. Some of it is well-loved, some of it unsung.

For more information:

Here's where to get great food in Hamilton

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He cooks in fine company

Jennifer Bain profiles Nigel Didcock, executive chef of the Granite Club in Toronto.

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You say syrah, I say shiraz

Down Under, it has been called shiraz for decades. The Australian big, minty, blustery fully ripened style has found fans worldwide. So now places like Ontario and California and Chile are also calling some of their syrahs "shiraz." It's really a style thing.

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Monkey business has serious side

Ervin, 78, and Palmour, 63, divide their time between teaching at Montreal's McGill University — Ervin's a professor of psychiatry and Palmour specializes in human genetics — and researching the relationship vervet monkeys have with alcohol on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts.

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Bacon makes beans better

Recipes:

* Bacon Baked Beans

* Tortilla Wings

* Clementine and Black Olive Salad

[TPO]

Toronto Star – April 6, 2005

Speeding in the Slow lane

Students study Slow Food movement

Symposium travels from farm to table

They're members of a high-speed generation, known for their nanosecond attention spans, their love of video games and their voracious consumption of fast food. And right now, they're in a rush to prepare a fundraising dinner of Slow Food.

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Indian spot delivers

The Curryer — a delivery-only service in the west end — doesn't sell typical Indian food. It has forgone ghee and cream. There's little salt or sugar. Avoiding these commonly hidden ingredients that bulk up Indian dishes (and our bellies, as curries are layered with as many fats as French cuisine) was difficult. Riza spent a lot of time in the kitchen and it shows in the end product.

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History in a wine glass

Wine can be the most amazing living, breathing thing. A great wine, under optimum conditions of coolness, darkness and stillness, can sleep for more than a century in cellar or châteaux, gently evolving in bottle.

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Secret life of lobsters

Judy Gerstel reviews the Lobster Royale Seafood Restaurant.

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Creative quinoa

The test kitchen offers a recipe for:

* Quinoa Pudding (Postre De Quinoa)

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Berry strange

Recipe for:

* Strawberry and Balsamic Ice Cream

[TPO]

Toronto Star – April 13, 2005

For the love of soba

Buckwheat booster Tetsuya `Ted' Iizuka makes traditional Japanese noodles from scratch

They're served either on a woven bamboo plate with the soup on the side, or in bowls with an inch or two of broth and topped with everything from freshly cooked snow crab or duck to grated Japanese yam or mild white radish. The soup reflects the topping — a more robust, saltier broth pairs with the duck, while the homemade tofu, a silky square served warm atop the noodles, is matched with a delicate soup with very little salt.

Recipes: Soba for starters

* Gingered Soba Noodles

* Mint and Green Onion Soba Noodles

* Green Tea Soba Soup

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One man, two pans

Aristedes, the one-named wandering minstrel of new Greek cuisine, has reinvented himself as "the two-pan man." That's short for "two pans and a blender" — his preferred cooking method.

Recipes:

* Smoky Eggplant Pilaf

* Smoky Eggplant with Fig Sauce on Greens

* Patras Sweet & Spicy Wings

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Keep an eye on Argentina

Don't cry for Argentina. Its red wines are trending up 27.7 per cent in net sales over the last year, according to the LCBO. The reason is simple: consumers are discovering these wines provide decent value.

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Taking a fancy to Leslie and Highway 7

Judy Gertsel reviews La Reserve in Thornhill.

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Mea culpa, veal sandwich lovers

A few weeks ago, my Saturday Dining Out column undertook an investigation into the city's best veal sandwiches. For weeks afterwards, dozens of emails flew to my inbox, most castigating me for leaving out their favourite sandwich places. One Toronto sandwich joint in particular, however, was mentioned almost a dozen times: Vinny's Panini.

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Kosher help

No wonder, then, that the OU has launched a Passover website at http://oukosher.org/index. php/passover. It includes a list of "kosher for Passover" products sold worldwide, dietary rules and instructions on prepping your kitchen. The info, in a more easily digestible form, is also included in the organization's annual Passover guide in Jewish Action magazine. The Passover Seders, or ritual banquets, take place April 23 and 24 this year. 

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Uncorking decent BYOW fees

It's pricey to bring wine to eateries

So far, program caters to the fringe

Andy Murdock discusses fees charged by some restaurants to uncork the bottle of wine you bring to enjoy with your meal.

Corkage fees

[TPO]

Toronto Star – April 20, 2005

Duo dreams big with microbrewery

Stratford's beer is what has become a recent microbrew favourite in Ontario, the German or Czech-style pilsner — just like Steam Whistle, and King City's flagship beers, to cite a couple of other local examples (and Pilsner Urquell and Heineken for some more recognizable international ones). It's made with Canadian barley, and Czech hops. As with any good pilsner, look for a hoppy, fresh taste.

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The Russians are cooking, the Russians are cooking!

To explore our Russian foodscape, start at Bathurst and Steeles and fan out hungrily in all directions, seeking delis, bakeries, banquet halls and restaurants.

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From Russia, with love

Jennifer Bain takes a look at Gregory Bruskin, chef-owner of Samovar Barmalay Russian Restaurant.

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French immersion lesson

In a recent Star story by reporter Sharda Prashad, dealing with sagging French wine sales, Inniskillin Winery co-founder Donald Ziraldo said: "You can't buy a good French wine for under $25."

Gordon Stimmell found several, which he discusses in this article.

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A promise to a Chinese crab

Judy Gertsel reviews New Markham Villa in Markham.

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Be prepared — to cook

Fourteen Danforth-area Girl Guides and seven of their leaders have created a fundraising cookbook to help pay their way to a Guiding centre in Switzerland. 

Includes a recipe from the cookbook for Mujaddara.

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Fresh ideas for cooking addicts

The test kitchen provides recipes for:

* Cuban Pot Roast

* Grits with Fontina & Bacon

* Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado and Ginger-Soy Vinaigrette

* Greek Yogurt with Fig, Date and Honey Swirl

Edited April 20, 2005 by TPO (log)

[TPO]

Toronto Star – April 27, 2005

It's tea time for Moby

Moby is a contradictory soul. So why should I be surprised to find out he's also got a cookbook and a restaurant? "One of the best things about being vegan is being exposed to a lot of foods I never would have been exposed to," Moby says during a visit last week to Toronto. "My diet is so much broader. I only ate junk before." 

Recipes:

* Pan Bagna

* White Bean & Tomato Tea Sandwiches

* Lavender Lemonade

* Plum Syrup

Mobyisms

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Susur's way with cucumbers

Jennifer Bain shares the knowledge she gained by watching Susur Lee do a charity cooking class.

Recipe:

* Susur Lee's Cucumber Salad

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Liquid pleasures for patios

Instead, we look for wines great to sip by themselves or with patio cuisine. Whites to linger over on those days when it’s warm enough to slump back in a comfy outdoor chair while wearing short sleeves. 

Gordon Stimmell includes a review of three such wines.

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Supermarket offers fast feast

Judy Gerstel reviews T&T Supermarket.

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Crumpet king

Recipes from the test kitchen:

* Crumpets with Bacon

* Balsamic Steaks

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Booze bible is a real page-turner

No water into wine, but there's gin from junipers and other secrets

Jon Filson shares tips from The Complete Book of Spirits by Anthony Dias Blue.

[TPO]

Toronto Star – May 12, 2005

Winemaking miss

Stratus uses gravity-flow technology so wine is handled as little as possible

There's a new kid on the Ontario wine block, a winery dedicated to making super-premium wines of the first order.

Includes reviews of seven wines in various price levels.

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Dinner club travels off the eaten track

Ravenous members of the Toronto Food Luck Club filter into New Bilan and grab seats at a makeshift communal table that dominates the small restaurant.

New Bilan offers inexpensive Somali food.

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Luxe dining on the links

Judy Gerstel reviews Lago at Eagles Nest Golf Club.

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Along come value reds

While the darling trendy grapes of Italy are sangiovese from Tuscany and nebbiolo from Piedmont, there are lots of other contenders, or should I say, great pretenders. Today we look at value reds sculpted from montepulciano d'abruzzo, barbera, negroamaro and malvasia nera grapes as expressed in wines from three producers. My selections can age in cellar for three to four years or more, but can also be quaffed now.

Gordon Stimmel suggests inexpensive wines to pair with pepperoni pizza and veal in red wine sauce.

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Sure sign of May 24, eh!

Labatt's has trotted out Blue Cold One, which allegedly is the world's first can that actually helps your beer stay cold. Essentially, the can has an extra layer of insulation, that once chilled, is designed to seal in the cold, and keep the heat from your hands, and the sun away from your beer.

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Sound of music fuels this café

Although Ellington's is primed for easy takeaway, the jaunty, sun-splashed space on St. Clair Ave. W. can seat at least 20 people. And the soundtrack — reggae to Count Basie — makes this a must-sit situation. Unless you're inclined to cut a rug.

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Bistro fare interpreted for home

Susan Sampson reviews Bouchon by Thomas Keller.