Notes On A Meal

Lemon Tart 8 months later

Its been 8 months since we started Notes on a meal. Here’s whats changed.
1. Generally speaking my life has been a lot better since I started writing for Notes on a meal. Absolutely since it takes me away from Facebook
2. My favorite meal in the last 8 months has been: Halibut pan fried in lots and lots of butter, served over a mushroom, spinach and orzo fish broth!
3. In the last 8 months the most important food related thing I’ve learned is: Hot pans burn! (it’s the same lesson I’ve been learning since I started cooking)
4. I work in the industry: yes
5. I have made job related moves in the 8 months. no, its the same old grind
6. Has your perspective on food changed in the 8 months? I’ve discovered a world full of fresh local products (both in restaurants and grocery stores) and I will never go back to not knowing where my food was grown!
7. My favorite animal is steak. Chicken Breast!
8. I feel that the restaurant that gets me excited right now is: The Atlantic or The Swan!
9. I am excited about all the wonderful seasonal food that is available right now: yes (kinda already went over this one)
10. I look forward to peaches and cherries in the next 8 months. Also exploring food in Toronto and updating our readers through this wonderful blog
11. One thing about the last 8 months that has made a difference in the way I see food is: having to tell people about the food I eat. It’s forcing me to make better choices
12. Knowing what I know now, if I were a cheese I would be: Blue Brie…. just cause it seems to be the best of both worlds and it’s really fun to say
13. In the last 8 months I have broken (any tools or equipment) 4 wine glasses (in one shot) and two mugs… all glassware fears me!
14. I value respect and hygiene in the kitchen.

Unnamed Salad; looking for help….

A couple days ago I made this salad and have been looking to give it a name. Having not come up with anything myself I was hoping to reach out and get some ideas from fellow foodies…

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Mum’s Birthday: Three Course Meal…

Yesterday I had written out this blog entry only to erase it before publishing, so here I go again…

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Caju Restaurant

Summerlicious Win.

This past Saturday I joined my four closest lady-friends for a birthday dinner at Caju. (922 Queen West) I went in with no expectations and came out pleasantly surprised and well-fed. The menu is Brazilian with a bit of a Caribbean and Portuguese twist (Caju is the Portuguese word for Cashew)

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Food Fail: Candwich

Life is a busy rat race.  Between cubical decorating, water cooler gossip, football, hair appointments, drinking with boys, huffing glue, mani-pedis, shopping and reality shows, its a wonder anyone has time to eat.  Lets face it, finding time to make those pesky meals is just too much sometimes.  Eating is not about enjoying the ingredients and preparation of the meal, but simply about ensuring that you put something in your belly so you don’t feel that bothersome thing called hunger.   For those who thought canned cheese was a wonderful invention…. Introducing canned sandwiches or, candwiches…

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Terroni Restaurant

If you’re in the mood for real Italian food (not frozen pizza or spaghetti in a can) Terroni  is be the place for you! Affordable prices, a pleasant atmosphere and food that’s very simple yet extremely tasty make this restaurant a great spot for dinner. With two locations in downtown Toronto (Queen west and Adelaide east) and one in uptown (st Clair and Yonge) this restaurant makes a great beginning for a night out on the town.

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All tiramisu wishes it was Lime Thyme!

I was recently given the opportunity to create my own dessert for Ma Maison, the pastry shop where I’m currently employed and after many months of trial and error it’s finally out. With the guidance of the pastry chef and a very vague idea, Lime Thyme was born. It is our take on a traditional tiramisu with a lime cheesecake layered on top of a thyme white chocolate mousse. In order to make the dish complete we’ve included a lime lady finger to separate the two layers of bliss. We’re serving it in a rocks glass with chocolate covered Pop Rocks as a little bit of textural contrast to the smooth cake. I’m  also very happy to say that despite the skepticism this sweet was greeted with, it’s been doing quite well for itself and it does seem as though people aren’t that scared to try something new. I’ll keep you posted on what’s coming up next!

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Marben Restaurant

Having just reinvented itself and reopened its doors, this Wellington West restaurant is going to leave it’s mark on the Toronto food scene. Although I know a few people “on the inside”, I’ll try to be as unbiased as possible when composing this review.

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Video: Amazing cooking tip

I came across this gem of a tip and I simply had to share it.  Please note the large professional kitchen and emphasis on safety.

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Loyalty in the Culinary World…

I have recently come across a moral and culinary dilemma, one that has me going through the pros and cons of a heavy decision. Thanks to this blog and by extension Rob (the admin), I can get this of my chest and maybe hear from people if they have experienced their own loyalty issues in this business.

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