Eat Your Colors

Eat your Colours

EAT YOUR COLOURS

I really like colourful food ~ vibrant squash, heirloom tomatoes, black garlic, peppers, beans, salts (the list is endless). Germans call these truffle potatoes. Upon opening the pack it’s easy to see these are from the ancient Andes culture called Peruvian purple. They have a very long history stretching continents.The skin is dark, almost black and spotted with many eyes. Inside is a vibrant purple flesh. After cooking them the skin becomes almost dark grey and the flesh is an amazing deep purple. These Peruvian purples are the mealiest of all the fingerlings. They are great roasted or fried. Mix them with redskin and white potatoes for a vibrant potato salad.  I like mine with a simple vinaigrette tossed with steamed green beans. I recently saw them on a menu in Potsdam, which is close to Berlin, Germany. They served them boiled with a side of quark (German sort of cottage cheese).

However you serve them they’ll make your next meal dazzle with colour. Not only that, they taste ummm very much like a normal potato!

When purchasing make sure to buy ones that are plump and not shrivelled, no sprouting eyes, soft spots or blemishes. Don’t store them in the frig because the starch will turn to sugar and they will become sweet. They’ll keep at room temp or in a cool place for approx 2 weeks. Your extra tip for today is to keep them away from onions and uncooked broccoli because they will decay more quickly from the gas that those veggies give off. That not only goes for potatoes but, in fact, any type of veggie (and that is your word of wisdom for the day).

PERUVIAN PURPLES (aka Truffle Potatoes) – serves approx 2

6-8 potatoes (in general they are all small potatoes)

juice of 1/2 lemon

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon flat leaf parsely (or any mix of fresh washed herbs)

salt and pepper fresh ground from the mill

Boil the potatoes or steam for 10 minutes (til done).  On draining you will see they dry very quickly.  Quarter them and mix with the remaining ingredients.  Enjoy!

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. 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.

Before I get to talking about the food, I’d just like to mention that I’ve never stepped into a cafe where I’ve felt like I was more of an imposition in the place than actually a welcome customer. This is not based on the staff but the horrible design of the interior space. The display counter that runs the length of the cafe is a stark white and although in most places this would stand out, at Nadege they’ve done the walls and the chairs in the same blinding shade. Luckily, for those prone to epileptic seizures, you have the floor to stare at (it’s just good ol’ fashion wood). And, just in case you’re too shocked by the decor to remember where you are, the owner (Nadege Nourian) ensures that her name is plastered on everything the store sells and more. In my opinion, I’d rather not be overwhelmed by the chef’s ego before even tasting their food!

Speaking of which, I felt completely ripped off by their products. My bill for two croissants and four fairly small macaroons was over 15$ and to add insult to injury, their debit machine was pre-programmed to ask if you wanted to leave a tip. I know it’s now common to have tip jars by the counters of cafes but this just seemed completely out of place, almost as bad as including it on the bill (correct me if I’m wrong on this). Anyways, the croissant was pretty boring, well cooked, tasted good but definitely not worth $2 and change. The macaroons, on the other hand, were a complete disappointment. I’m aware that Nadege has become known in Toronto for their macaroon flavour innovation but I didn’t think the taste of  freezer was something she was going for. The four I tasted (blackberry, peach and two I really don’t remember) also tasted fairly artificial and more than definitely will never bring me back for seconds. One remarkable element of the food was the presentation which was truly outstanding. The chef’s imagination did shine through and the cakes was beautiful but unfortunately I was not willing to pay $9 for an individual cake unless it came with at least another portion on the side.

Overall, I really don’t recommend this place for anyone. It’s trendy in its minimalistic decor and flashy in its food presentation but definitely not worth spending a whole paycheck on a let down.

Crudite, 8 months later.

Its been 8 months since we started Notes on a meal. Here’s whats changed.
1. Generally speaking my life has been a lot better since I started writing for Notes on a meal: More then words can say.
2. My favorite meal in the last 8 months has been: My girlfriends pasta dinner.  Outta this world.
3. In the last 8 months the most important food related thing I’ve learned is: Pitted dates may contain pits.
4. I work in the industry: yes
5. I have made job related moves in the 8 months. yes Ive moved to Marben. Its been fun and pretty worky.
6. Has your perspective on food changed in the 8 months? I have learned to really appreciate fresh food grown with love.
7. My favorite animal is steak. Yes. Sit steak, good boy.
8. I feel that the restaurant that gets me excited right now is: Sushi Kaji.  I still have not eaten there, but its been a long time coming and I’m very excited.
9. I am excited about all the wonderful seasonal food that is available right now: yes and how.
10. I look forward to getting a regular schedule and enjoying my life outside of work more in the next 8 months.
11. One thing about the last 8 months that has made a difference in the way I see food is: not compromising on quality.
12. Knowing what I know now, if I were a cheese I would be: since I have become quite injury prone, I would probably be a cheese thats easy to cut.
13. In the last 8 months I have broken the record for gratuitous band aid use in the kitchen.
14. I value efficiency and professionalism  in the kitchen.

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 post. Eric Ripert is one of the great chefs in New York City, if not the greatest living seafood chef on the planet. His restaurant Le Bernardin, is a New York Times four star recipient. The restaurant also holds three Michelin stars. It is a place that foodies, gourmands, and chefs all over the world go to eat. I’m praising it like I have had the pleasure of sitting at his tables, but alas not yet. I just really respect the man.
These days I am not to sure how much he actually does the cooking and takes the reins of the passe at Le Bernardin but without question consistency is of the highest importance no matter who is there. Come to think of it, consistency is good post in of itself.
Eric does or did (not sure if its still on air) a cooking show called Avec Eric. The first thing I noticed when watching these clips (under 4 minutes) is that all he uses to cook his recipes, which take under 10 minutes to make, is a toaster oven!! Brilliant. I instantly became hungry after 2 clips. His recipes range from figs wrapped in bacon canapes to herb chicken tenders. My favourite might have to be his carpaccio of parmesan zucchini with a 100 year old aged balsamic vinegar. My stomach actually made sounds while watching him prepare and cook, in a toaster oven no less.

The French accent is only icing on the cake. The way he talks about seasoning and its importance is amazing. The way he says “butter” is simply stellar.

You should, nay…you must go and check out what his superbly talented chef can do with a toaster oven and an imagination.

I’ll be in the kitchen.

Epic food scan 8: The origins of life pt 1.

And in the begining there was nothing.  It was very boring.  And lo, the big bang occurred-eth.    Unto the universe, big bang begot the elements and the heavens.  As the universe  coalesced, primordial ooze, the very underpinning of life as we know it, was formed.

Rich in amino acids, proteins and other life essentials, it was only a matter of time before life began.
Courtesy of the Modern Museum of Ancient Life Sciences, is a rare, first hand glimpse of  that very essence of life, the primordial ooze.

Click image to see full size.

New Generation Sushi on Bloor

Located west of Spadina on Bloor, this busy Toronto restaurant definitely caters to the nearby university crowd with their affordable pricing, quick service and good food. It’s become a bit of a regular spot for dinner for two very tired chefs providing enough nutrition for us to consider it a blessing that neither one of us has to cook. It’s always busy for dinner so expect a 10-15 minute wait but the experience is worth it. The food is as fresh as any other affordable sushi is but it’s brought to you with exceptional service and a smile so you don’t ever think of the ingredients.

The menu there is just like every other Asian restaurant, long and repetitive with minor changes between items.  Their motto does say it best “we provide all kinds of Japanese food” so I do recommend spending some time exploring all the pages of the menu in order to find the gems you’re looking for. The Bento boxes are a phenomenal way to try a variety of items and a great way to introduce sushi virgins to the world of almost authentic Japanese food. My favourite item on the menu does have to be their Spicy Tuna Maki which I personally recommend to everyone! Most items on the menu do come with a house salad, Miso soup and ice cream for dessert.

One of the greatest benefits to having your meal at New Generation Sushi is generally the bill. On average, the two of us will spend a total of $40 for more food than our stomach can handle. Also, if you’re also on a time restraint, have no fear; the staff moves with an incredible speed so your dinner won’t be longer than 30-45 minutes without making you feel too rushed.

I definitely recommend this location over it’s sister restaurant (located a few blocks down on the north side of Bloor) which extends the already lengthy menu to includes a very disappointing Korean BBQ.

Marben Revisited

I must admit, it was definitely the creativity and passion that went into making the food exceptional that brought me back to Marben after only a couple weeks. It’s Wellington West location in Toronto is definitely one that is starting to attract more and more attention. Just like on opening day, the patio and most of the indoor space was saturated with people out to have a great meal. However, the vibe is definitely more relaxed than that of the first night which definitely puts the diners at ease as well.

But, let’s talk food, since that’s the most important part of this whole post. The menu has expanded from our first visit and it exhibits local and seasonal products better than any restaurant I’ve visited in the past while. It features sharing plates at an affordable price and shows off the kitchen’s creativity and talent. We had the wonderful opportunity to have the chef choose our menu for us that evening so we sat back and enjoyed the feast. The turnip and trout salads were our openers: light, perfectly seasoned, fresh and definitely set the stage for what was to come. Following those was probably the most amazing dish on the menu, the Tortellini. Little pasta pockets filled with heavenly braised beef and served in a homemade BBQ sauce with a fried egg and “hickory sticks” for added texture. The flavours were outstanding and I know I’ll definitely order a few portions of this for myself the next time I’ll be at Marben. For our mains, we shared the roasted beef and the halibut. By far the beef was the better of the two, perfectly cooked and served with Pommes Kennedy (essentially fried potato gratin) and phenomenal beef jus.

For the first time, we also had the opportunity to try the desserts and since I’m quite fond of sweets, this was probably the most important part of the meal. We shared a chocolate ice cream sandwich served with chocolate sauce and creme anglaise and a bread pudding, peach/cherry compote and vanilla/strawberry ice cream dish. Both had phenomenal flavours but were fairly lacking in creativity compared to the rest of the menu. The ice cream sandwich was a overload of chocolate, which any girl with definitely enjoy, but seemed to be lacking that “wow” factor. There were no hidden flavours, no pockets of braised beefy goodness and definitely didn’t belong on the same menu as the tortellini. The second dessert was definitely the favourite of the two. It’s pretty much what you’d get when you made yourself a treat with leftovers in your fridge. A warm bread pudding served as the base for a flavourful fruit compote and melted the smooth and silky ice cream leaving you with a plate full of syrupy goodness. It definitely requires a cup of their amazing coffee in order to wash down the excess sugar but will definitely leave your sweet tooth satisfied.

Overall, my second experience at Marben definitely surpassed the first. The food was sensational and will definitely keep me coming back. I will warn you though, it does seem that the front of house staff do not have everything under control as the kitchen. We had a very vast array of servers of which one definitely proved himself to be the black sheep of the restaurant. Nonetheless, our evening was outstanding and I can’t wait to return!

Unnamed Salad; looking for help….

A couple days ago I made this salad and have been looking to give it a name. Having not come up with anything myself I was hoping to reach out and get some ideas from fellow foodies…

Here is the following salad in order of construction on the plate (bottom to top):

– Prosciutto di Parma, brought to room temperature, and set of the plate in a loose yet firm stack in the centre of the plate.
– Grilled Ontario asparagus, seasoned with sea salt and cracked pepper, cut in half and laid across/around the prosciutto.
– Garlic cloves and shallots, slowly roasted and caramelized, laid out around the asparagus, reserve the cooking butter/oil for later addition.
– Arugula, handful size portion resting on top of the asparagus and prosciutto.
– Soft poached chicken egg, presented on top of the arugula.
– The reserved garlic and shallot butter, take a lemon wedge and add the lemon juice to the just above room temperature butter, taking a spoon, and drizzling it around and on the salad to finish the dish.

Any thoughts please feel free to comment…

Mum’s Birthday: Three Course Meal…

Yesterday I had written out this blog entry only to erase it before publishing, so here I go again…

Finished up cooking brunch at the Harbord House during the World Cup Final. Drove home, but before getting there dropped by a Sobey’s to grab a couple ingredients for the dinner. Here is said dinner…

First was a Greek salad with feta. When I say Greek Salad I mean one that doesn’t incorporate lettuce, or greens. Greek salad should only be with vegetables, a salad that Greek’s could be proud of if they were coming to dinner. That being said, I mixed together kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, shallots, and cucumber with dried oregano, lemon thyme (picked from the garden), extra virgin olive oil, coarse sea salt, and cracked black pepper. Finishing it off with a piece, or chunk of feta with a touch of dried oregano.

Second course was a slow roasted pork tenderloin. No fancy marinades on this tenderloin, only salt and pepper. Accompanying the pork was fresh Ontario carrots (not peeled, just washed), and asparagus, which I tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper, and then grilled. The starch was tagliatelle pasta. Allowed the pork to rest (how very important not to skip) while we ate our salad then came back into the kitchen to bast the tenderloin in butter, garlic, shallot, and lemon thyme. After slicing the pork I took the butter mixture further and made a brown butter sauce, that I then tossed with the tagliatelle. Mum said it was one of the most tender pork she has had ever, I’d have to agree. Thanks in part to not over cooking it, by which I mean that it still has colour in the center, and allowing it to rest. How the resting step is underrated and under used in most kitchens be them home or professional.

Third and final course was Peaches & Ice Cream. Picked up a triple ripened Ontario peach and Pralines ice cream. I decided to brulee the peach wedges in sugar on the stove top slowly, simultaneously coating the peaches in sugary heaven, and softening them even more. Only needing a spoon to cut away a piece at a time. Since ice cream is a culinary hurdle I have not tried yet I opted for store bought, which honestly is pretty damn good.

So that was it, having earlier in June given her her big present (Eagles tickets) I had to come up with something for her actual day. I wasn’t going to ask her to dress up and come out for a restaurant meal on a Sunday night when I know shes been out on the porch reading the papers and being very comfortable doing just that, so why tamper with a good thing…

Caju Restaurant

Summerlicious Win.

This past Saturday I joined my four closest lady-friends for a birthday dinner at Caju. (922 Queen West) I went in with no expectations and came out pleasantly surprised and well-fed. The menu is Brazilian with a bit of a Caribbean and Portuguese twist (Caju is the Portuguese word for Cashew)

The atmosphere was friendly and slow-paced. Two of us showed up 15 minutes early (gasp) for our 7pm reservation, and they seated us right away. The other three arrived at various times and there was no rush or complaint from the staff. Once we had all settled in, we ordered a round of Caipirinha, which is a national cocktail of Brazil made with Cachaca (similar to Rum), sugar and lime. We debated ordering off the regular menu, but the Summerlicious menu was too good to pass up for $25.

I started with the sweet pepper, tomato, ginger, and coconut milk soup, which was to die for. The flavour and texture was perfect and left me wanting more. Others at the table tried the cold gazpacho soup, which received good reviews, but was apparently a bit “tart.”

For the mains, three of us went with the fish and shrimp saffron rice (Paella style) which was another hit. I didn’t ask what the fish was, but we agreed that it tasted a lot like Tilapia or something similar. Regardless, it was cooked to perfection, as was the shrimp. The other options were house-made cassava gnocchi with rapini, heart of palm and cherry tomatoes with parmesan (which looked very fresh and light – a feat for gnocchi) and grilled pork tenderloin and choriço with tomato salsa, cassava chips and balsamic drizzle (looked OK was a bit on the dry side).

Dessert was my only disappointment. I ordered the lemon square thinking it would be something fresh and delicious to end the meal, but it ended up being a bit blah and dry. The passion fruit mousse (which my friend let me sample) was amazing and left me wishing I had chosen differently. The third dessert option was dark chocolate fondant (which I also sampled) and that was light and smooth in texture and insanely rich. A chocolate-lover’s dream.

We ended up spending around 3 hours dining, which is pretty nice for a Summerlicious meal, where in quite a few cases I have been rushed out at a ridiculous pace. My one complaint about Caju would be that the noise level was intense – we could barely talk over all the other voices. I’m fairly certain that the sleek interior design was causing all the noise to bounce around endlessly. The place could use some fabric panels to absorb some of that noise. Oh, and one other pet peeve – they added an auto grat of 17% to the bill, which I just find a bit presumptuous for a table of 5 people, and assume it was because we ordered from the Summerlicious menu. Since we enjoyed the experience, it didn’t really bother us, but I wasn’t too impressed with that detail.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience and the food. It’s worth checking out at least once and I may be back for another Caipirinha soon.

Food Fail: Candwich

Life is a busy rat race.  Between cubical decorating, water cooler gossip, football, hair appointments, drinking with boys, huffing glue, mani-pedis, shopping and reality shows, its a wonder anyone has time to eat.  Lets face it, finding time to make those pesky meals is just too much sometimes.  Eating is not about enjoying the ingredients and preparation of the meal, but simply about ensuring that you put something in your belly so you don’t feel that bothersome thing called hunger.   For those who thought canned cheese was a wonderful invention…. Introducing canned sandwiches or, candwiches…

The Candwich comes in three flavors: peanut butter and strawberry jam, peanut butter and grape jam, and, the most terrifying of all, BBQ Chicken…Pepperoni Pizza and French Toast Candwiches are in the works.

candwich

Thanks to Jill for this link.

Full Candwich story

Terroni Restaurant

Terroni (courtesy of ugonnaeatthat.com)If you’re in the mood for real Italian food (not frozen pizza or spaghetti in a can) Terroni  is be the place for you! Affordable prices, a pleasant atmosphere and food that’s very simple yet extremely tasty make this restaurant a great spot for dinner. With two locations in downtown Toronto (Queen west and Adelaide east) and one in uptown (st Clair and Yonge) this restaurant makes a great beginning for a night out on the town.

We had the pleasure of dining at the uptown location and immediately fell in love with the aromas wafting through the place. Two pizza ovens located centrally in the dining room complete with two chefs slaving over them made for an overwhelming desire to have a traditional pie. The decor of the place is very unassuming, with lots of wood detail in order to create a very intimate and comfortable atmosphere for the clients. Beautiful chandeliers are contrasted by exposed venting pipes, distressed wooden planks are used as table tops juxtaposing the posh leather chairs and overall creating an environment that imposes very little upon diners. It’s truly a place where fine dining didn’t mean I’d feel out place walking in with flip flops, it just meant we could expect better service.

Our meal was exactly what I had hoped it would be: the end of a horrible and busy day, comforting, filling and definitely very tasty. We shared appetizers which consisted of grilled calamari served over a bed of greens and steak tartare. Both were perfectly seasoned and very accessible sizes that didn’t make it hard to continue eating. One really good thing about the calamari is that it showcased the abilities of the kitchen since they were soft and tender not what most other restaurants serve (chewy rubber) due to simple overcooking. For our mains we shared two pizzas, both thin crust (which is perfect) and served simply doused in olive oil with fresh and seasonal toppings scattered over top. This is the way pizza should be and is made back home in the motherland. There was no extreme amount of tomato sauce, cheese or a variety of dipping sauces for the crust. It just consisted of simple and fresh ingredients. I did also discover that ricotta and pizza are a phenomenal combination, especially when paired with a hard and salty cheese. To compliment all this food, Terroni also features a seriously extensive wine list (which showcased serious mark-ups) which the servers had great knowledge of. Overall, the dinner for two with three glasses of wine came under $80 which is definitely affordable for the quality of food and service we received.

Overall, this is a restaurant that I would definitely return to in order to enjoy a very simple and tasty meal. It definitely showcases a lot of great ideas and it’s no wonder they’ve expanded their empire to the three locations.

*Picture I posted is unfortunately not mine but it’s courtesy of ugonnaeatthat.com

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 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!

I posted a picture but it’s not the best…  I promise to come back with a better one as soon as I get a chance.

Lime Thyme