Banh Mi Boys Sandwich Shop, Toronto

04.23.12

Quick service, low prices and delicious food…what more coulod you want for lunch or a super quick dinner? Located just west of Spadina on Queen st, this little sandwich shop pounds out food like it’s going out of style. A very short menu helps the kitchen work fast on the fly and cook almost everything to order while keeping the lines as short as possible.
The menu is divided into three sandwich styles: banh mi (white baguette), taco and a steamed bao (bun) all of which can be filled with one of few meat or veggie options. I can definitely recommend the pulled pork on the steamed bao. Served with cucumber, pickled carrots and cilantro, the pulled pork is not overly sweet or juicy and therefore the sandwich is not messy and can be eaten on the go (pulled pork sandwiches usually result in a laundry day for me). The cilantro and pickled carrots complement the saucy meat very well, keeping the sandwich light and leaving a very fresh flavor in your mouth. All orders come in a varying degree of spiciness so choose carefully (don’t be brave) and keep it milder in order to truly enjoy the flavours.
The shop has a limited amount of seating that’s generally occupied so I do recommend getting your meal to go and enjoying it on the go.
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Moroco Chocolat, Toronto

04.10.12

Let’s just say, that if Willy Wonka and Alice in Wonderland had a baby, well, it would look a lot like Moroco Chocolat!!!! Located just behind the store fronts of Yorkville Avenue, this venue calls out to every adult’s inner child while still allowing them the sophistication that the neighbourhood endorses. It’s cute, whimsical and it will satisfy your every want and need as it morphs from pastry shop, to restaurant, to lounge; all in one day.

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New and exciting at Ma Maison

04.02.12

So it’s been a while since I’ve updated the Ma Maison cake and pastry line-up, so here goes…. Also, drooling over the pictures is a good way to pass time on excruciatingly long Mondays!

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What is a macaron?

posted by Lemon Tart on 2012.03.17, under Baking, Food pic, food pics, Macaron, Mouthy Bits, Photos, pics
03.17.12

So all week I’ve been posting about these wonderful little desserts but I haven’t even answered the most basic of questions: What is a macaron?

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MMM (Ma Maison Macarons), Spring 2012

03.13.12

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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Whole wheat, banana berry muffins

02.02.12

Simple and very very healthy, possibly also somewhat tasty, these muffins are a great way to start the day. Should mention that they are egg free and can very easily become dairy free or gluten free. I made mine with wheat germ, blueberries, dried currants and coconut but the possibilities are endless as long as you remember to balance out flavors. Another good combination would be carrot, orange and ginger.
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Ma Maison enters a gingerbread competition

11.28.11

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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Sugar flowers

10.16.11

Since baking in general is not dangerous enough, I’ve taken on a new challenge…. sugar pulling. For those not familiar with this concept, well, it’s pretty much what it sounds like, hot sugar being shaped and pulled into diverse “artistic” shapes. The sugar is warmed, dyed (any colour of the rainbow) and once it’s the right temperature, it is pulled to aerate the surface and add a phenomenal sheen. Afterwards, under a heat lamp in order to keep it hot, the sugar is formed into whatever shape you want and allowed to cool (to set).

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Ma Maison’s Macarons, Toronto

10.13.11

If you’re not familiar with French Macarons, well, you should head out there and definitely try them. Two crispy yet chewy almond cookies sandwiched together with a velvety ganache, or a delightful jam or even better a smooth and subtle buttercream…. what’s not to love?!!? There’s plenty of places around Toronto doing them well but here’s my favourite (I may be a little biased)

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Tasty European Travels – Part 1

08.16.11

I know it sounds very silly to consider a place like the Amsterdam Airport a worthwhile point on our European culinary journey but it was definitely an eye opening experience. It was our first encounter with the food culture present on this continent and how different it is from what we’re used to in Canada.

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Love your food.