Etobicoke Farmers Market

posted by Lemon Tart on 2010.09.01, under Good Food, Great Food, food, lesson learned, seasonal food
09.01.10

It’s definitely the time of the season when all fruits and vegetables are flourishing and most certainly the best time to visit a farmers market. Not necessarily for the prices but for the quality and freshness of the ingredients available there. My family and I have been avid consumers of the Etobicoke Farmers Market (located in the Etobicoke City Hall parking lot at Burnhamthorpe and West Mall) every Saturday for the past few years. From it’s beginning in early June until the very last few “warm” weekends around Thanksgiving, Ontario farmers line up their produce and are more than happy to share their stories with you. It’s only open on Saturdays between approximately 8am and 2pm but I do recommend you getting there early in order to have first dibs. (I do believe that on Sundays the whole market moves to the Square One parking lot in Mississauga but I cannot guarantee that the same products will be available)

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Book Review: The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating by Fergus Henderson

08.10.10

Foodie Classic. Ahead of its time. Many imitators, few successes. For true culinary epicureans Fergus Henderson is the standard for “total utilization.” He was doing offal when it was taboo, while others were gaining stardom and Michelin Stars serving truffles, foie gras, and fillet mignon. Henderson would not give way to trends and fads, staying true to his vision of a craftsmanship by elevating “alternate cuts” of meat on his menu. I’ll finish this post by quoting well known chefs who would be humbled in his presence.

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First Timer

08.04.10

Lemon Tart you stole my title, Great Beginnings, even though you thought of it first and I hadn’t even experienced a moment that needed that title. Nonetheless a title theft. All kidding aside great post, well titled (said with a hint of jealousy).

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Great beginnings…

posted by Lemon Tart on 2010.07.27, under lesson learned, lessons, stuff
07.27.10

I’ve always been passionate about food and I do feel like I’ve definitely enjoyed it more than those around me. It doesn’t only nourish me but it makes all problems better, cheers me up, calms me down, excites me, and if it was a person, it’d be my soul mate. It wasn’t until recently that I gave in to these thoughts and decided to take it to the next level. I’m soon coming up to my two year anniversary of being a part of the culinary industry and it’s been an amazing ride thus far.

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Nadege Patisserie in Toronto

07.25.10

Have you ever had a very strong urge to overpay for mediocre products?!  Well if that’s the case, Nadege Patisserie (Queen West between Bathurst and Ossington) is the place for you. With clinically white walls and bare decor this cafe offers its patrons almost as much warmth as the Mental Health Ward of a hospital. A bare room, what could be considered a cheesy take on sleek and fairly dismissive staff are definitely the reasons that kept me away for so long but I finally took life into my own hands and decided to give it a try.

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Avec Eric

07.21.10

Just had the pleasure of stumbling on to Avec Eric on YouTube. I was searching through YouTube related searches with Bourdain, Batali, Reichl, and Richman.

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All tiramisu wishes it was Lime Thyme!

07.09.10

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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Loyalty in the Culinary World…

posted by Al Dente on 2010.07.02, under Uncategorized, lesson learned, lessons
07.02.10

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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Nutritional Gatekeepers

posted by CHEFinBERLIN on 2010.06.28, under Mouthy Bits, food, lesson learned, seasonal food
06.28.10

Nutritional Gatekeepers GET REAL!

Like many of you, I am passionate about food and have been working in professional kitchens more than half of my life. After a quick tour visiting families and putting a ton of miles on the car, I wanted to share just a few oddball observations of my road trip through southern Ontario to the southern states.

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Restaurant Review: Union

posted by 1Crudite on 2010.06.22, under Bad Food, Restaurants, lesson learned, reviews
06.22.10

Looking for a meal on a Friday night we decided to head down to Union.  Its a cute spot just north of Queen on Ossington.

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