05.02.12
From a culinary perspective, sugar is a very important ingredient so understanding how it reacts while being heated, melted, dissolved, etc is very crucial. One of the most integral parts of this is an understanding of what happens in a simple sugar and water solution. In this case, the sugar molecules have a tendency to bond to each other in orderly arrays and form dense solid masses (crystals). When sugar crystals are dissolved in water, H2O molecules have a tendency to overcome this bond between sugar molecules and form their own bonds. If the sugar molecules become too crowded with the water molecules, they begin pairing off with each other and form crystals once again.
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04.23.12
Quick service, low prices and delicious food…what more coulod you want for lunch or a super quick dinner? Located just west of Spadina on Queen st, this little sandwich shop pounds out food like it’s going out of style. A very short menu helps the kitchen work fast on the fly and cook almost everything to order while keeping the lines as short as possible.
The menu is divided into three sandwich styles: banh mi (white baguette), taco and a steamed bao (bun) all of which can be filled with one of few meat or veggie options. I can definitely recommend the pulled pork on the steamed bao. Served with cucumber, pickled carrots and cilantro, the pulled pork is not overly sweet or juicy and therefore the sandwich is not messy and can be eaten on the go (pulled pork sandwiches usually result in a laundry day for me). The cilantro and pickled carrots complement the saucy meat very well, keeping the sandwich light and leaving a very fresh flavor in your mouth. All orders come in a varying degree of spiciness so choose carefully (don’t be brave) and keep it milder in order to truly enjoy the flavours.
The shop has a limited amount of seating that’s generally occupied so I do recommend getting your meal to go and enjoying it on the go.

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posted by
Lemon Tart on 2012.04.10, under
Baking,
Food pic,
food pics,
Good Food,
Macaron,
Made in Toronto,
Photos,
pics,
Toronto Pastry Shop,
Toronto restaurant
04.10.12
Let’s just say, that if Willy Wonka and Alice in Wonderland had a baby, well, it would look a lot like Moroco Chocolat!!!! Located just behind the store fronts of Yorkville Avenue, this venue calls out to every adult’s inner child while still allowing them the sophistication that the neighbourhood endorses. It’s cute, whimsical and it will satisfy your every want and need as it morphs from pastry shop, to restaurant, to lounge; all in one day.
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posted by
Lemon Tart on 2012.04.02, under
Baking,
food,
Food pic,
food pics,
Good Food,
Great Food,
Made in Toronto,
Photos,
pics,
Restaurants,
Toronto Bakery,
Toronto Pastry Shop
04.02.12
So it’s been a while since I’ve updated the Ma Maison cake and pastry line-up, so here goes…. Also, drooling over the pictures is a good way to pass time on excruciatingly long Mondays!
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03.17.12
So all week I’ve been posting about these wonderful little desserts but I haven’t even answered the most basic of questions: What is a macaron?
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posted by
Lemon Tart on 2012.03.13, under
food,
Food pic,
food pics,
Fundraiser,
Good Food,
Great Food,
Macaron,
Macaron Day,
Made in Toronto,
Photos,
pics,
seasonal food,
Toronto Bakery,
Toronto Pastry Shop
03.13.12
Here’s the new macaron line-up for the 2012 Spring season:
Dark Chocolate – Valrhona’s Nyangbo dark chocolate ganache
Wild Strawberry – White chocolate and wild strawberry ganache
Carrot Cake – Cinnamon cream cheese with a carrot and cinnamon curd
Lemon Basil – Lemon and Basil infused white chocolate ganache
Salted Caramel – Smooth and silky caramel filling with a salty and crunchy feuilletine crisp
Pistachio – Ghana milk chocolate and pistachio ganache
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posted by
Lemon Tart on 2012.03.12, under
Baking,
food,
Food pic,
food pics,
Fundraiser,
Great Food,
Macaron,
Macaron Day,
Photos,
pics,
Restaurants,
Toronto Bakery,
Toronto Pastry Shop,
Toronto restaurant
03.12.12
What is macaron day?
It’s very simple: top pastry shops in Toronto team up for a good cause and give out these amazing little pastries to everyone who walks through the door. This year 25% of all the proceeds of macaron day will be donated to the Red Door Family Shelter (http://www.reddoorshelter.ca/).
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posted by
Lemon Tart on 2012.02.02, under
$20 Challenge,
Baking,
food,
Food pic,
Good Food,
Made in Toronto,
Mouthy Bits,
Photos,
pics,
recipes
02.02.12
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.
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posted by
Lemon Tart on 2011.12.15, under
food,
Food pic,
food pics,
Good Food,
Great Food,
lessons,
Made in Toronto,
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seasonal food,
stuff,
Torontos Finest
12.15.11
I must say that, in my opinion, Loblaws really tops all the other grocery stores in Toronto for the quality of products offered and their variety. Although it may be pricier than others, freshness is always guatanteed and the customer service is definitely admirable.
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10.16.11
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).
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