Notes On A Meal » Baking

Whole wheat, banana berry muffins

Lemon Tart — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:03:58 +0000

Simple and very very healthy, possibly also somewhat tasty, these muffins are a great way to start the day. Should mention that they are egg free and can very easily become dairy free or gluten free. I made mine with wheat germ, blueberries, dried currants and coconut but the possibilities are endless as long as you remember to balance out flavors. Another good combination would be carrot, orange and ginger.

Food Pairing Site

CHEFinBERLIN — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 15:20:46 +0000

Food Pairing

This is a site for pairing foods and drinks – great for chefs and bartenders. Foodpairing shows tasty food pairings based on scientific data – it’s amazing because it takes the worry if “this tastes good with that”. They hold food pairing workshops and also match ingredients to brands.

Ma Maison enters a gingerbread competition

Lemon Tart — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:38:58 +0000

Just in time for the holidays, the Ma Maison team decided to enter a fierce but fun gingerbread competition. The rules were simple, make “something” out of gingerbread was basically all we were told. The construction had to be 2x2x2 feet and everything except the base had to be edible. Ma Maison came up with the idea of a bakery and although our results didn’t win the prize, a few great lessons were learned in the process. Here is what was created and some of the competitiors

Sugar flowers

Lemon Tart — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 15:21:23 +0000

Since baking in general is not dangerous enough, I’ve taken on a new challenge…. sugar pulling. For those not familiar with this concept, well, it’s pretty much what it sounds like, hot sugar being shaped and pulled into diverse “artistic” shapes. The sugar is warmed, dyed (any colour of the rainbow) and once it’s the right temperature, it is pulled to aerate the surface and add a phenomenal sheen. Afterwards, under a heat lamp in order to keep it hot, the sugar is formed into whatever shape you want and allowed to cool (to set).

Ma Maison’s Macarons, Toronto

Lemon Tart — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 01:15:05 +0000

If you’re not familiar with French Macarons, well, you should head out there and definitely try them. Two crispy yet chewy almond cookies sandwiched together with a velvety ganache, or a delightful jam or even better a smooth and subtle buttercream…. what’s not to love?!!? There’s plenty of places around Toronto doing them well but here’s my favourite (I may be a little biased)

The pig cake

Lemon Tart — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 02:43:38 +0000

I’m very proud to announce that I have completed my very first novelty cake all by my lonesome. Six or so hours later and 2 kg of butter, 18 eggs and a tonne of red food colouring later, I give you the pig!

Food in Italy

Lemon Tart — Wed, 11 May 2011 09:29:15 +0000

Here are just a few of the many food pictures we’ve collected in and around Rome/Florence….. Enjoy

Our culinary adventures in Rome (Part 2)

Lemon Tart — Mon, 09 May 2011 08:17:56 +0000

With my fellow blogger being so detailed while describing our Roman vacation I’d just like to talk about the pastry side of things. Unfortunately, it seems as though the Romans don’t really appreciate a fine pastry and will just settle for mediocre. The best looking pastries we’ve seen were at a French bakery and that’s not a joke.

Ma Maison – Toronto

Lemon Tart — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 22:02:14 +0000

Just thought I would put up some pics of pretty little desserts from Ma Maison in Etobicoke (Dundas and Royal York). Enjoy!

Egon’s Dungeon Bakery – Max Poilane

Egon — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 01:37:09 +0000

Here’s a 5-minute video of a baker in action at the Max Poilane bakery in Lyon, France.

The subtitle says: “The life of a sourdough miche, made by hand and cooked in a wood-fire oven.”