Taste Local Taste Fresh Event in Kitchener

The weather was perfect for a foodie stroll along the river in St. Jacobs this past weekend.  Hundreds of attendees at the annual Taste Local Taste Fresh event were treated to culinary creations from local chefs partnered with local food producers and farmers.
Liaison College Kitchener was among those participating as chefs and were partnered with a local Egg Farmer from Elmira.

here's the scoop from Jackie (the administrator at the Liaison College in Kitchener)

.    It was an excellent event.  The students were excited about Taste Local and wanted to participate.  They represented the school very well.

We raffled off a knife kit that Mercer Tools donated as well as a basket with several LC items and a recreational class.  (I have included a picture of the basket)  We also gathered lots of leads at the show. 

The public also gave us some great feedback on our Chocolate Pot De Crème (piped inside a 1 oz chocolate tulip shooter cup and garnished with chantily cream and a gooseberry to represent the yolk).

One guest commented to us that our Chocolate Pot De Crème was by far the nicest item at the show. 

 
Several newspapers and magazines were there and took pictures.  Ie. The Observer, K-W record, Grand/Taste magazine and Snap.
Photo Album

Join me in the Python's Pit

The Halton Region Rotary Club has devised its own version of the ever-popular Dragon's Den -- the Python's Pit.  And I'm going to join the other Python's in selecting viable business opportunities and invest in the entrepreneurial talent of tomorrow at the first ever Python's Pit event on March 23 2013.

Python's Pit  is a entrepreneurial initiative brought to you by Halton Region Rotary Clubs and DeGroot School of Business at McMaster. In the spirit of economic growth in Halton region, any funds raised will supportCamp Enterprise, McMaster University bursaries and other Rotary initiatives.



Watch for more news as this project develops ....  maybe you have an idea that would pass the test of the Python's.

Give it a shot .... and join me in the Python's Pit.  See you there.

SULIRMAOS

The name says it all:  it's Portugese for Southern Brothers

Two foodie brother, tired of their construction jobs, decide to get serious about food.  Jonny takes a course at Liaison College while Jason gets a restaurant concept on a roll.  Combined they are the driving force behind Brampton's newest foodie hot spot in the heart of downtown:  SULIRMAOS

The brothers, along with the help of their instructor, Chef Jeff, are turning their passion into a tasty new reality!
As soon as you walk into the restaurant you get the feeling that there's something cooking - the new kitchen equipment and sparkling machines behind the front service counter are just a twinkle of what's to come....

 

There is nothing like the essence of freshly ground coffee and the steaming gurgle of an espresso machine to wake up the taste buds!  I had a specialty soda - they plan to make their own organic sodas with a new keg system ... stay tuned as this is really interesting!  I enjoyed the sparkling pomegranate soda which was just the perfect blend of flavour, bubbles and sweetness.  Delicious.

 

while we sipped ... the cooks cooked ....

 

We were coached on what to order .... the starters were a platter of smoked tomato crostini.  To the eye it looked like a traditional bruschetta but the smoky flavour that burst to life on the tongue immediately triggered something very untraditional.  To accompany the crostini, we were served the most unusual appetizer:  bacon wrapped peppers stuffed with cheese.  These lethal morsels were delicious - heat, sweet, salty - and complemented with a pepper aioli.  Awesome!

 

The sandwiches we ordered were huge and mouth-watering:  pulled pork and butter chicken (each with interesting twists on the traditional).

 

When we could barely move the dessert arrived .... this is by far the most interesting dessert that I have ever (and I mean ever) eaten.  This dessert is a combination of strawberry flavoured shaved ice, topped with boba bubbles served in homemade waffle bowl.  Crazy.  Bursting fresh flavours in an unusually light way.  So much better than icecream!!  and so weird I had to check the reference to BOBA

 

 

 

do yourself a flavour and check out this out of the box eatery that will not disappoint .... YUM!

A Night Out with Friends in Collingwood

Last night we ventured into downtown Collingwood for dinner with friends.  They had been at Tesoro before and recommended it highly.  When we got to the parking lot our friends were surprised that there was not a line up at the restaurant's door.  TESORO is a quaint Italian cucina tucked into the rustic back alley of downtown Collingwood; a fellow blogger says that Tesoro is "One of Collingwood's Top 11 restaurants".

Bruce and Jane were not wrong at all; when we entered the restaurant through the filled to capacity patio area, we were told that the dinner seating was fully booked with reservations.  Sorry.  Darn.  We started walking away to find "plan b" when the hostess chased us into the lot and told us a party had downsized and we could have their extra table.  Awesome - back in we went to a lovey private corner table overlooking the back patio area.

The friendly server brought us lemon water and a basket of freshly baked Italian bread.  Bruce ordered a bottle of wine and we perused the menu.  When the wine was poured (in typical rustic Italian-style wine glasses - what we might use for juice or a glass of milk) we toasted a gathering of friends and good food.

There were two menus:  one with appetizers, salads and pizzas and one with entrees - the wine/drink list and dessert menu are provided separately as well.

We ordered a selection of salads to start:  caprese (traditional with a twist); warm funghi (lovely oyster mushrooms, parmesan and arugula) and a mixed greens (a fresh tossed mix).

The entrees were varied.  Jane ordered a Canneloni Ricotta bake (minus the extra cheese)

Rudy and I shared the Penne Arabiata with hot Italian sausage which did not disappoint - penne al dente with a spicy (just enough heat) and flavourful sauce.

 

Bruce had a vegetarian pizza which I tasted and it was garlicy delicious.
We capped off the meal with a molten chocolate cake (I think mine are better - just saying) and coffees.  The coffees were one of the highlights of the meal for me.  I'm sorry that I added cream.  The coffee was rich, freshly brewed almost thick with a not-bitter mellow yet strong roast flavour.  Loved it.

What a delightful way to spend a few hours ... good food and friends.  Thanks Tesoro and thanks Bruce and Jane for introducing us to Tesoro ... I think we'll be good friends!

It's Fall Fair Time

Every year the fall is the time for fairs and the Milton Fair is the local event for me!  This year the Milton Fall Fair will be held Sept 21 - 23 at the fairgrounds.

The Milton Fall Fair is an annual event and features all of the fun and tasty attributes you would expect at any great fall fair.   Every year the exhibition halls are jammed with local creations and produce. And the livestock pens are also a neat place to visit.

Enjoy a taste of the country and check out a fall fair.  Feed your passion!

Student Chef of the Day

The pressure builds and the buzz in the kitchen is a frenzy of activity.  The stations are ready.  The menu is double checked.  The dining room is packed with eager foodies.  As the Chef of the Day can you handle the intensity?  Read on.

Students who are taking the Advanced Culinary program at Liaison College are required to design, cost, and implement a luncheon menu.  Sounds simple and easy in a few words, but the reality is far from simple.  The student Chef of the Day comes up with a theme or concept for their menu and they research recipes for the courses.  The chef instructors provide guidance and feedback as the menu is tweaked and adapted.  When the final menu is complete the next stage is to dissect the recipes and develop a food/ingredient listing for purchase.  Then classmates are divided to teams for preparation just like stations in a foodservice kitchen.  The food is ordered and arrives ready for prep - each item is scrutinized to ensure that quality standards are perfect.  The Chef of the Day reviews the recipes and the menu and answers questions from classmates (the brigade) about preparation and timing.  All before even one customer sits in the dining room.  The dining room has to be readied.  The "front of the house" is the first visual for the client so that has to be inviting and crisp.

Yesterday I arrived for a Chef of the Day lunch at Toronto Downtown.  Under the strict supervision of Chef Mick (voted in the top 5 chef instructors in the world on chef2chef.net in 2010!!)  the student presents his menu to the guests who are suddenly quiet and straining to hear every word.

 

The applause is loud in anticipation of the presention of the menu as described.  Can he pull it off?  Each place is set is with sparkling silverware and a polished glass.  The lemon water is served and the freshly baked herbed foccacia is passed around.  Delicious.  The conversations and buzz around the room starts again as the pending meal is awaited.  We all notice the Critique Form in front of us; Chef Mick has asked us all to be brutally honest and judge the meal as this will assist the student chef in getting better and learning.  Now the pressure is really on.  This meal is part of the student's mark.

 

 

The room is full with almost 50 guests and the bright sun shines illuminating the atmosphere.

We start with an Amuse Bouche (a teaser to get your mouth watering):  Kaffir Lime Leaf Shrimp Satay with Miso Tomato Avocado Concasse

The presentation was very colourful and the flavour had just enough heat to warm the palette.

Appetizer:  Taiwanese Tamale with pickled cucumbere and Asian BBQ sauce

 

The presentation of the tamale in a corn husk was very unique and creative.  The BBQ sauce was tangy and sweet which complemented the sour pickled cucumber and the mellow tamale.

 

Entree:  Flank steak roulade served with succotash and herb crusted potatoes topped with potato skin tumbleweeds finished with Chilean red wine jus

 

 

The tender meat rolled with vegetable and egg accompanied by the flavourful jus was delicious.  The potatoes are hidden in this photo as they are under the meat, but they were large cubes delicately seasoned and nicely done.  The succotash was a rustic combination of  vegetables and legumes that completed the dish.  (my personal thought was that this dish was a perfect autumn lunch - warm and filling - but I'm trying to hang on to the last weeks of summer and would have enjoyed lighter fare with more seasonal ingredients highlighting the bounty and color of Ontario in August).  I couldn't finish my meal for two reasons:  the portion was big and the dessert was next!

Dessert:  Dulce de Leche sticky toffee pudding with nectarine ice cream and candied oranges

The name says it all.  This dessert was served warm with a decadent warm butterscotch syrup.  The ice cream was more like a sherbet - light and not too sweet - which rounded out the flavour profile perfectly.  The warm sweet pudding and syrup blended with the cool, refreshing ice cream was a delicious end to a great lunch.  I looked around the room and noticed that not a scrap was left on any plate (always a good sign) and the guests looked completely sated and happy.  What more can a chef ask for.

The brigade came out of the kitchen to a loud round of applause and their hard work was recognized in more ways than one - they got to eat the last of the desserts! 

Well done .... I will be back!

Tonight's Dish is Fish

Tonight for dinner I have defrosted a couple of pieces of salmon.  I really enjoy eating fish as long as someone else cooks it; I don't like the slippery feel of the fish at all.  And saying that "the fish is too fishy" makes no sense literally, but I know exactly what you mean if you say it to me.  Fishy fish has a distinct odour and I avoid it at all cost.  In fact, this is something that I learned from our Chef Instructors at Liaison College - how to tell if a fish is not fishy:  check out the eyes - are they clear or cloudy and notice the odour - is it too fishy.  If the odour is strong and the eyes are cloudy, don't bother with the fish.

Now back to my dinner.

Everyone knows that eating fatty fish is a good idea for lots of health reasons, but I found this recipe to try that may negate the health factor due to the butter and nuts combo. 

Courtesy of "Busy Cooks"

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped salted cashews
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 Tbsp. butter, softened (NOT margarine)
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In food processor or blender, combine all ingredients. Process till blended. Cover the blended butter and chill this mixture and then form it into a roll 1" in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper and chill until firm. Prepare and heat grill. Grill your salmon to desired doneness. Let the meat sit for about 5 minutes before serving, then slice the chilled butter and place on top of the hot salmon, letting it melt into the meat.

Super Food in Space?

Yes.  Super food in space.  It was not a typo.

Yesterday I met with a gentleman who told me about a project that he's involved in.  The topic came about as his group/planning committee has held a number of annual dinner events around their project and Liaison College supplied the in-home chef.  Loved the dinner.  Loved the chef.  But he mentioned the project about seeds in space and I simply had to know a bit more.

The project is a collaboration among a number of strategic partners including the University of Guelph - arguably the best in agricultural matters - and Heinz - the definitive producer of ketchup. The project is Tomatosphere - an effort to engage students in science, food and space.  An interesting combination to say the least.

I invite you to check out the site for this project to see the extent of knowledge and information that has been happening in our schools for several years.  There are presently over 600,000 tomato seeds in space.  Tomatos - the super food.  Nourishing and handy (you can extract water from their leaves).

Last year I was able to get a better appreciation for tomato growing techniques at the Chef Educators Conference.  But this concept is out of this world!

Cottage Life - Eating in the Wild

Being invited to my friend Cathie's cottage is always an adventure.  Her cottage is located on an island in the Muskoka region of Ontario.  Beautiful country - the great north - loads of green landscape dotted with rockery and sprinkled with clear lakes.  God's country.

But Cathie has chosen to cottage "off the grid".  Amenities are few and modern conveniences are absent.  Sounds idyllic.  Or not.

When a group of friends, all women ranging from 45 to 60 years of age, gather at the island for a weekend of R & R, sometimes the Relaxation portion is put aside for CHORES.  Living off the grid is not for the faint of heart - there's power to generate and store (no doubt solar power sounds great until you have a week of rainy days), switches to flip and generators to operate.  Making hot water, for example, is a 30 minute ordeal with a few switches and maneouvers.  Definitely not for city slickers who demand instant everything as time is of the essence.  Not on the island - it's island time.

One of the main considerations of any weekend away is the menu - and who's buying the food - who's schlepping the food from the car to the boat and up the stairs - and putting away - and cooking - and cleaning up.  A lot to consider. 

And consider this:  there are a million stairs from the dock to the cottage.  Steep.  And many of them.

you are the human Sherpa.

One of the friends volunteered to do the shopping.  Great!  Off she went with a list and a mission.  Not known by the rest that her main mission was to use the facilities at the local Tim Hortons.  Like I said:  it's rustic.

So what's for dinner when the time comes?  Convenience food makes the day:  a veggie tray; frozen pizzas -- we decide to graze.  The cooking area is limited and no one is well versed enough in cooking in a rustic outdoor kitchen:

BBQ'd toast is actually really good.  And Glenna brought her famous chili dip which I will definitely repeat - in my mind it's the perfect Sunday NFL pre-game snack:

take a package of cream cheese and spread into a baking dish
top with a can of chili (I plan to use my leftover chili which I will freeze in can size batches for this purpose)
and top that with shredded cheese (again perfect placement for leftover cheese ends and bits that get wasted normally)
bake until the shredded cheese melts and voila - instant yummy dip!

(I should mention that by the time Glenna served the dip she had tempted our palates with island cocktails made in her blender - extremely tasty and easy to drink)

A weekend away with friends doesn't have to be gourmet and full of exotic ingredients.  The most important ingredient is the people.  And they are great.

The Stinking Rose - Garlic Season is here!

Driving home from the office last week I stopped by the local roadside market.  This is the best time of year for scoring homegrown produce and our local market is brimming with choices. But the one that always catches my eye is the GARLIC!

My family loves to eat garlic.  We incorporate garlic in everything possible and enjoy it cooked in many different ways.

Buzy Liz is the name of the local farm market and Liz prides herself on her vegetable farm and the bounty it produces - including the garlic.  Liz is always ready to help you start your own veggie patch and has a lot of helpful information; her Garlic Lovers Page is an array of information about garlic: how to grow, tend, harvest and eat.

So after chatting with Liz, I came home and surveyed our garlic patch.  I chose the driest strand and yanked it from the earth.

A lovely dirty garlic.

So what do you do with such a wonderful specimen?  This one ended up in a pasta dish. 

But our favourite is a grilled garlic whole.  We simply take the whole garlic and cut the top off (I use the top "caps" in salad dressings).  Then drizzle olive oil on the cut side of the garlic.  Invert the garlic on the oily side onto a small square of tin foil (if we BBQ I use two layers of foil).  Place the garlic on a cookie sheet in a 425F oven for 15 min or until garlic is golden and soft.

The garlic becomes a soft paste and is delicious warm or cold.  The trend at our dinner table is to smear the cloves onto potatoes, bread, vegetables - your choice.  The roasted garlic takes on a nutty and mellow version of its raw self.

In speaking to a friend whose in the midst of writing a cook book about baking, she tells me that the latest addition to her very comprehensive kitchen is a dehydrator.  What does she plan on dehydrating?  Well among other things, her first order of business is to create garlic powder.  I hope she can master it ... and when she does I will share it with you!

There's a story about the "Stinking Rose" - which is more like a family legend.  It takes us back to a wonderful restaurant in San Francisco called .... The Stinking Rose.  I will save it for another day.