Macarons

Having always been fascinated about the art of making macarons, I’m proud to put up this little post as a tutorial for those wanting to try this process out. Just to clarify, I’m not talking about those fairly disappointing and overly sweet coconut confections but about the colourful and extremely flavourful french macarons. A thick …

Etobicoke Farmers Market

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 …

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

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 …

First Timer

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). For about a month now I have been on the search for …

Great beginnings…

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 …

Nadege Patisserie in Toronto

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. …

Avec Eric

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. If you don’t know the history behind the culinary war of words between Bourdain and Richman I suggest you google it and enjoy. Back to why I am writing this …

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 …

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 …

Nutritional Gatekeepers

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 …

Restaurant Review: Union

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. The place is packed full of pretty people.  We squeeze in through the door.  The atmosphere is warm and comfortable, the sounds of eating float through the air.  In the …

My time at Cowbell

A couple of years ago, when I was toying with the idea of going into the kitchen, I ate at Cowbell.  It had been open for a while and  making waves in the Toronto dining scene.  Fresh food, whole animal butchery and a commitment to farmers and producers in the local area.  Now, these concepts …

Frangipane Patisserie

Hidden away on good ol’ Dupont just east of Spadina, this little pastry shop has proven that location isn’t always everything. With it’s big bay windows and open floor plan, this tiny patisserie gets to play in the big leagues of the dessert scene of Toronto. Although it’s lacking any kind of seating, the place …