love your food v4.0
Some people are just so darned creative. This must have taken hours to do. The detail is pretty astonishing.
Imagine being able to constantly reference your fingers for food establishments to avoid. It would certainly take all the brain work out of avoiding fast food. High Five.
Click to see full size. Thanks to Poorly Dressed for this one.
Well, maybe not. But it sure makes a great t-shirt.
Yup, just when you thought a strange story was dead and burried along comes some shocking new developments.
According to one of our readers, human milk cheese is already available on the market and has been for some time. Since 1947, the good people at Cosma Cheese in France, have been making Petit Singly cheese. Using only the finest human milk available their cheese can be enjoyed after a light snack, with a glass of wine, or even grilled.
Indeed, the Petit Singly , the only cheese made with the breast milk of women , has long remained in the shadow of the more common specialty cheeses made from cow’s, goat or sheep milk.
While some controversy swirls around the web as to the legitimacy of the site itself (see here) the site itself does offer up some rather titillating bits of information.
Neat-o facts about breast milk fromt the site:
- 1 liter of milk a woman brings an average of 670 kcal (2720 kJ) , ie as much as cow’s milk.
- The zinc content of both milks (cow and woman) are identical, but this metal is present in human milk in a specific form that explains the role of exclusive breast milk in the prevention and treatment of acrodermatitis enteropathica (hereditary disease resulting from zinc deficiency and its manifestations are mainly gastrointestinal and cutaneous).
- The breast milk also contains oligosaccharides many of which only some are known for now. Their role is poorly understood but are likely to foster the development of intestinal microbial flora (Lactobacillus bifidus) that protects the intestinal mucosa against bacterial assault.
What to eat before suhmiting your milk for cheese production as described by the site:
Here is the strict diet which the cheese Cosma subjecting donor breast milk for the highest quality required in the manufacture of Small Singly , specialty cheese made from breast milk of women :
- 100 g of bread (or grain equivalent) in the morning because of 60g, 40g in the afternoon,
- 200g cooked starchy lunch,
- 100 g in the evening
- greens at will
- 2 x 100 g or equivalent meat (fish, eggs …),
- 2 fruits and fruit juice,
- 2 x 40g of cheese and 3 dairy products (cow only).
In addition we ensure that donors:
- do not smoke,
- do not drink alcohol in excess,
- do not use drugs or household products may pass into the milk
Thank you to Olivier for the update and the link to the site. Please forgive the horrible translation. I would also like to mention – again, that males have been excluded yet again.
“…nature does everything in the operations of a beast, whereas man contributes to his operations by being a free agent. The former chooses or rejects by instinct and the latter by an act of freedom, so that a beast cannot deviate from the rule that is prescribed to it even when it would be advantageous to do so, and a man deviates from it often to his detriment. Thus a pigeon would die of hunger near a basin filled with the best meats, and a cat upon heaps of fruits or grain, although each could very well nourish itself on the food it disdains if it made up its mind to try some. Thus dissolute men abandon themselves to the excesses which cause them fever and death, because the mind depraves the senses and because the will still speaks when nature is silent.”
Came across that eloquent quote while reading another book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. Mr. Pollan was talking about Americas’ penchant for dietary/nutritional fads every few years, that could very well stem from the fact that America may not have a national cuisine to call its own, leaving it open to the cuisines of the world, and unstable ground, speaking from an epicurean point of view. Which could be one cause of multitude health related diseases and disorders rampant in America.
When you are in space, cooking is a whole new ballgame. Food doesnt stay in the pot, and tends to float off. Setting a table is difficult for the same reason. Food though is just as critical in space as it is here on earth. Astronauts are subjected to body stressors that require their bodies to be in top condition. Diet, therefor, is critical.
Learning how cook in space has been a trial and error process. The good people at NASA have recently released a book called The Astronauts Cook Book: Tales Recipes and More by
It is a wealth of information spanning the last thirty years of the NASA food program. While not entirly useful in the terrestrial kitchen, this book does highlight the kitchen creativity and food science acumen needed to feed hungry astronauts.
Astronauts, cosmonauts, and a very limited number of people have experienced eating space food due to the unique processing and packaging required for space travel. This book allows anyone with a normal kitchen to prepare space food. Since some of the processing such as freeze dehydration, and packaging cannot be accomplished in the normal kitchen, many of the recipes will not produce the food that would be launched in space, but will prepare food similar to what the astronauts would eat after they had added the water to the food in space. Many of the space foods are prepared to the point of ready to eat, and then frozen and freeze dried. Food preparation in this book stops at the point of ready to eat before the freezing and dehydrating takes place
Check it out on here
Doesn’t the idea of cheese from human milk sound yummy?
No. Not really.
I have been on a marketing kick lately, drawn to those golden gems of advertising that make you laugh or nod or think. I find the thought and creativity of great ads to be truly inspiring.
So to celebrate the wonders of food advertising, I have put up a couple of truly great ads.
The first is a campaign from Dos Equis, a beer company. The spots are about the most interesting man alive. They are brilliant. Below is a clip which contains the whole campaign.
Next up is Shreddies. An cereal we all know and love. To spark renewed interest and boost sales, the good people at Shreddies employed this brilliant ad campaign. Enjoy.
Part 1.
New “Diamond” Shreddies – Stupidest Ad Ever – Watch more Funny Videos
Part 2.
“New” Diamond Shreddies
Its been just over a year and much has changed. We have gone from a little, unknown blog to a slightly larger and better known blog. Congrats to all of the wonderful people who make this blog possible. We just crossed 200 posts. Thank you and keep up the good work.
Space is not a human friendly place. It is a vacuum that will suck the life out you in about 14 seconds. In 1965, a NASA researcher was accidentally exposed to a near vacuum and his last conscious memories was the water on his tongue beginning to boil. Fortunately, he was saved and we were all taught a valuable safety lesson.
Radishes, on the other hand seem to do pretty well in space. In an attempt understand food in space, NASA scientists subjected an assortment of vegetables to the harsh vacuum of space. Lettuce, radishes, wheat and other veggies were pushed out an air lock and left to fend for themselves in space.
Suprisingly, after a full, horrible, 30 min. in space, not much had changed. When examined, the astro-veggies were pretty much intact and were even successfully replanted where they continued to grow. In fact, scientists could find no differences between the space salad and the control group who never left the safety of our atmosphere.
Scientists noted that the space veggies grew as normal right up until the time they were harvested a week later.
Thanks to Gizmodo for the heads up on this one.
If you’re craving some spicy “Mexican” food and find yourself in the Annex, well then Tacos El Asador is definitely worth a try. Located just east on Bloor from Christie, this little place cannot be missed. Regardless of the time of day, the half dozen little picnic tables located inside are always full and the take-out counter just as busy. Although there’s a Mexican flag proudly displayed on the wall, this place is just a blend of Central American flavours and a North American standard for these particular combinations. Bring some cash (1 person can probably eat for around $20) and a very empty stomach.
If you’re sitting in, expect a lovely guacamole to reach your table first, accompanied by a basket full of fresh tortilla chips and an excruciatingly (but worth it) hot bowl of jalapenos. I do recommend the pupusas and the hard shell tacos. They’re definitely all worth a second visit and come packed with your choice of meat (or veggie). To be honest, the burritos aren’t the best in the city but will be a great accompaniment to the rest of your meal.
Although the locale has a variety of alcoholic drinks on their menu, I’d save the money for cheaper ones at any of the other bars in the neighbourhood (or even more pupusas). Also, be prepared to walk by the fairly aged and unloved kitchen on your way to the very crammed and creepy bathrooms in the basement. Regardless, have no fear, all’s clean!
After much deliberation and some very full stomachs, it has been officially decided that Pizzeria Libretto is my top restaurant of Toronto. Last night we returned for the second time, only to be enchanted once again by the warm and cozy atmosphere and unforgettable food. Similar to our first experience, the service was flawless, the staff knowledgeable and friendly (but not over the top) and the meal was outstanding.
During dinner it really dawned on me how important it is to be true to your ingredients. Pizzeria Libretto does exactly that and pairs it with a wonderful atmosphere leaving the clientele with nothing but a sweet taste in their mouths (and maybe a full stomach too). Last night’s meal began with a wonderful grilled calamari appetizer served with a scrumptious polenta and house cured Gravlax. Similar in texture but not in flavour, these items were wonderfully prepared and showcasing the abilities of the kitchen. This was followed by a platter of Libretto’s marinated beef tenderloin. Melting in your mouth, these morsels of heaven made me taste beef in ways I’d never tasted before. Anyway, the pizzas are the main event so let’s stop talking about anything but. Wanting the simplest, freshest one on the menu, I chose the Marghetia topped with doppio (double) Mozzarella, Basil and Tomato. It was truly a work of art with a thin toasty crust topped with by a layer of luxurious tomato sauce, fresh cheese and a few basil leaves. This is the classic combination but Libretto definitely did it justice by keeping the ingredients as close to their natural state as possible in order to show their true flavours.
Being somewhat of a dessert snob, I’m always skeptical of ordering this particular item when I’m infatuated with a restaurant since most chefs don’t really do it justice (sorry if I offended anyone). However, Pizzeria Libretto really does it all (in house) and to absolute perfection. Our choices included the Vanilla Gelato served with a crispy almond biscotti and the Lemon Panna Cotta. The ice cream was very creamy and definitely not overly sweetened (a mistake many make) but the panna cotta definitely stole the show. The very smooth and silky texture was simply a prelude for the explosion of tart lemon flavour one experiences, which is then soothed by its creamy vanilla counterpart. It’s perfect! And definitely something I will try my hardest to recreate.
Hope this restaurant brings all of you as much joy as it’s brought me and I really cannot wait to hear some feedback.
PS: I’m sorry the pictures really don’t do the food justice, but I guess we’ll just have to return to take some more.
I can honestly say that I’ve been waiting a really long time for a Toronto restaurant to awe me in such a way. Authentic Italian pizza, an extensive wine list, service that isn’t pretentious and a warm friendly atmosphere all make Pizzeria Libretto (221 Ossington) one of the best dining experiences you’ll have in this vast city. Expect prices to be a little higher than your average chain pizzeria but parting with your money won’t be hard once you’ve tasted the food.
Having a tiny storefront in a neighbourhood that mostly shuts down at night makes locating this wonderful restaurant is a little difficult but the lineups will definitely give it away. Since they don’t take reservations, the dining experience is on a first come first serve basis so I do recommend going before or after the dinner rush. They are open until 11pm so you can always go in for a late meal. I know I should really mention the simple but welcoming decor and the open kitchen being located at the very back of the restaurant allowing all diners to see the hustle and bustle going into their meal. However, I’d really just spend all my time talking about the food.
The restaurant is a registered pizzeria under the Vera Pizza Napoletana Association and enforces their very strict rules in order to deliver a true Neapolitan pizza. The size, ingredients, texture, aspect and flavour of the pie is highly regulated making this the only certified pizza of this kind in Toronto. The tomatoes are imported directly from Naples; the mozarella brought in daily and the flour strictly organic and stone ground; all various aspects on ensuring quality. However, the most important element of this process is the hand made wood burning pizza oven imported directly from the source in Italy.
Our first appetizer of the evening was the buttermilk battered, crispy, perfectly cooked calamari served on a red pepper and almond sauce. With serving sizes fit for sharing, this dish definitely set the standards high for the quality and flavours of the meal to come. Following this was one of their specials for the evening, a Prosciutto tasting. Served with bread, preserved pears and figs, this spread showcased the popular preserved pig like none other. It was a world tour including Spain, Canada, Italy and the United States displaying the variety in textures and flavours of such a wonderful cured meat. However, the pizza is definitely “la pièce de résistance” of the entire meal. Thin crust, smokey aroma from the wood burning stove, crispy bottom and a variety of delectable toppings all make this pizza unforgettable. I can personally recommend the “Hot Pepper” pizza which comes topped with a very thin layer of tomato sauce, homemade sausage, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil and obviously some hot peppers. It is the perfect mixture of fresh ingredients that I could have definitely eaten until eternity. Our second pizza for the evening was topped with shredded duck confit, bosc pear and mozzarella. This was a slight twist on the classic combination of these wonderful flavours but in comparison to our first pizza it lacked a certain freshness. I honestly cannot wait to return and try all the other combinations they’re showcasing on their menu.
Before I end this little review, I would really like to draw attention to the quality of service received at Pizzeria Libretto. From the hostess trying to find every possible way to cram two hungry foodies into their full restaurant, to our server being very knowledgeable on the menu and wine pairings, our experience was unforgettable. Overall, I recommend this restaurant to anyone wanting to stifle a craving for authentic pizza and real Italian food. I might even go as far as mentioning that this might be my current favourite place to dine in Toronto, but we’ll see after the return visit.
On behalf of all of us at Notes on a Meal, I’d like to wish all our readers only the happiest holidays filled with nothing but yummy food and good times. We’re apologizing in advance if posts slow down a little during this time but we’ll be coming back strong in 2011. Keep reading and remember to love your food!
I will be the first to admit I really enjoy a cup of Tim Hortons’ coffee with a Boston Cream donut, or a French Cruller or even a few Timbits, especially on chilly winter mornings. It’s almost like a little secret pleasure I’ve had for many years that”s slowly changing now that I’ve become more aware of where my food comes from. A recent article in Maclean’s magazine reminded me of the origins of those sweet pastries and a little bit of research (since no more information is available online) proved my hesitation at continuing my enjoyment of this junk food treat.
Since the mid 90’s the ownership of the Tim Hortons chain switched into the hands of the American Wendy’s corporation and the shift in donut cooking methods began. By the early 2000s franchise owners were struggling to find proper help to run the overnight baking shift and other methods of production were sought after. A solution was discovered when the Maidstone plant in Brantford Ontario, was bought in conjunction with a Swiss food giant known as Aryzta AG. The industrial bakery provided stores with par-baked (almost 95% of the baking process) and flash frozen donuts that only needed a little finishing in the franchise ovens and decorating. To make the process even smoother the deep friers that occupied the bakeries of each Tim Hortons location were replaced with walk in freezers and a series of microwave convection ovens to finish the cooking. The shift was very upsetting for their loyal customers but was quickly overlooked with business resuming as usual for the past almost ten years. It’s actually impressive that their earnings constantly show profits as the rest of the take-out coffee are battling the shortcomings of the economy.
However, the newest turn of events is the fact that the entirety of Tim Hortons’ shares in the Maidstone plant have been sold and the Swiss company now in charge has only promised to provide franchises with donuts until 2016. Does this mean the end of Canadian made Tim Hortons products? Is this the end of true Canadiana? Since the change to frozen product has been integrated for many years now and accepted, I think the main problem at hand is a moral issue against the change in donut origin. Will this bother you?
His name is Francois Xavier. He speaks more languages than most. He takes better photographs than most. He lives in Switzerland, at the intersection of 3 legendary culinary traditions. His blog is a journal of the pleasures of eating and an eclectic library of recipes, most of which will take you the better part of a day to follow through. Sadly, his last post went up in October ’09. I wouldn’t expect to see any new posts any time soon, but it would be worth your time to scan the archives.
And he has such a nice smile.