Notes On A Meal

MMM (Ma Maison Macarons), Spring 2012

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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Ma Maison enters a gingerbread competition

Just in time for the holidays, the Ma Maison team decided to enter a fierce but fun gingerbread competition. The rules were simple, make “something” out of gingerbread was basically all we were told. The construction had to be 2x2x2 feet and everything except the base had to be edible. Ma Maison came up with the idea of a bakery and although our results didn’t win the prize, a few great lessons were learned in the process. Here is what was created and some of the competitiors

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The pig cake

I’m very proud to announce that I have completed my very first novelty cake all by my lonesome. Six or so hours later and 2 kg of butter, 18 eggs and a tonne of red food colouring later, I give you the pig!

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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.

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Lemon Tart 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. Absolutely since it takes me away from Facebook
2. My favorite meal in the last 8 months has been: Halibut pan fried in lots and lots of butter, served over a mushroom, spinach and orzo fish broth!
3. In the last 8 months the most important food related thing I’ve learned is: Hot pans burn! (it’s the same lesson I’ve been learning since I started cooking)
4. I work in the industry: yes
5. I have made job related moves in the 8 months. no, its the same old grind
6. Has your perspective on food changed in the 8 months? I’ve discovered a world full of fresh local products (both in restaurants and grocery stores) and I will never go back to not knowing where my food was grown!
7. My favorite animal is steak. Chicken Breast!
8. I feel that the restaurant that gets me excited right now is: The Atlantic or The Swan!
9. I am excited about all the wonderful seasonal food that is available right now: yes (kinda already went over this one)
10. I look forward to peaches and cherries in the next 8 months. Also exploring food in Toronto and updating our readers through this wonderful blog
11. One thing about the last 8 months that has made a difference in the way I see food is: having to tell people about the food I eat. It’s forcing me to make better choices
12. Knowing what I know now, if I were a cheese I would be: Blue Brie…. just cause it seems to be the best of both worlds and it’s really fun to say
13. In the last 8 months I have broken (any tools or equipment) 4 wine glasses (in one shot) and two mugs… all glassware fears me!
14. I value respect and hygiene in the kitchen.

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!

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Marben Restaurant

Having just reinvented itself and reopened its doors, this Wellington West restaurant is going to leave it’s mark on the Toronto food scene. Although I know a few people “on the inside”, I’ll try to be as unbiased as possible when composing this review.

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May

So I have returned with another update for the Vegetable/Fruit of the month club. I would like to officially dub May as “LEEK” month, regardless of this vegetable’s ability to be harvested from mid-fall until early spring. Also, the true gems of the leek family that spring up (bad pun) around this time of year are their wild and crazy cousins, the Ramps. Although generally a rarity in grocery stores, due to price and their perishable nature, these vegetables are definitely worth a scavenger hunt around the city.

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New Feature: Epic Food Scans!

I was recently over for dinner at a friends house.  He brought out a few books that his dad had rescued from a local thrift store.  One giant and slightly off smelling tome, called “The Creative Cooking Course”, is an opus to haute cuisine of the late 60′s and 70′s shown through the jaded eyes of 1982.

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