Venturing Out

This past week I had to go to areas around town that I don't get to very often.

Like most people, I like to venture out to new places, but with the time demands of writing and reviewing restaurants, errands and social events, I keep to my local places and venture out only on weekends when time allows or I'm heading to the area as a destination.

This week, I had the pleasure of rediscovering Church Street and Bloor West Village.

Church is somewhere that I like and know, but rarely get to. I hadn't been in years and I couldn't believe how much it changed. I also couldn't believe the wealth of amazing food stores.

Cumbrae's is something of a legend in the city for having superb farm-raised meats and handmade foods. I was window-shopping before reviewing a restaurant in the area and just walking into the beautiful store made my mouth water.

And then just across the street is Reither's Fine Food International - 416-961-3892 - where you can get a huge mini meat loaf dressed a number of delectable ways for only $4.99! There are incredible prepared foods along with interesting products from around the world. I found seasoning for a liver and bacon plate, curry ketchup and many cookies, crackers, jams, cheeses, meats, chocolates and grocery items to please any food lover!

Two days later I found myself in Bloor West Village where I picked up almond tarts for our neighbours, packaged soups (check out my blog about the soups here) for myself and a lovely book author whom I interviewed earlier this year and tours to such an extent that she often isn't allowed much time to eat, sliced leg of lamb for sandwiches (my new favourite find!) from Max's - 2299 Bloor Street West 416-766-6362 - and some incredible chocolates that wowed the crowd last night from a deli right at Runnymede and Bloor.

It was so great to rediscover these pockets of the city and I highly recommend it.

I know you are swamped with parties and lunches, shopping and wrapping, but take just an hour or two and walk through an area you haven't visited for awhile. It is just the thing you need at this time of year. And you won't come home empty handed. There is so much incredible food to be had in the city. Go have at it!

- Stephanie

Surprising Savings at the St. Lawrence Market

I am of the belief that the Market can be pretty pricey. Although my Dad and I go just about every Saturday, we like to shop downstairs at Domino's and rarely spend more than a few dollars.

But all the stuff that I really like is usually a good chunk of change. Now you're getting amazing product for your money, so don't think I'm complaining. It's just I can't afford to grocery shop there.

Until last Saturday.

I don't know what made everything so inexpensive, but check out what I got:

From the Farmer's Market

1 pint of yellow beans - $1.00
1 pint of brussel sprouts - $0.50
1 pint of snow peas - $1.00
1 romaine lettuce - $1.00
1 absurdly huge kale - $1.00

From the Other Side

2 "Weekend" Organic Sprout Salads - $5.00 (in total)
6 fresh smelt - $1.34
1 chipotle mayonnaise - $1.99
1 fresh salmon steak enough for 3 - $12.63

Other than the salmon, it was crazy cheap!

Total = $25.46
Experience = priceless

- Stephanie

Steam Whistle Rocks All Year Round!

I recently had the opportunity to try the Steam Whistle Holiday Pack, which is not only filled with your favourite 12 bottles of beer, but comes in a convient box with handle that you pull up from within (great design, fellas!) and a handy gift tag label should your box be for someone else (What a good friend you are!).

You know, this holiday season, we're all lugging bottles of wine back and forth to various dinner and office parties, but don't you find yourself wishing for a clean, refreshing beer at these functions? From now on, I'm only heading out with the Steam Whistle holiday pack.

It just makes sense.

(this is not a paid advertisement, just my opinion)

- Stephanie

Loblaws - Can You Believe It?

Toronto is one of the best food cities in the world. At any given time, whatever area you are in, there is a bevy of cuisines available - Japanese, Thai, Indian, Italian. And if you feel like making pad thai or beef with chinese broccoli, you can pick up the ingredients at your local grocery store.

What a wonderful world.

And it keeps getting better. I get my fruit and veggies at my local f&v stand (and on the weekends, I pick up a few goodies at either the Kensington or St. Lawrence Market), but recently I have been getting a few things at my neighbourhood Loblaws.

After searching for years for an accessible place to buy Meyer lemons, Loblaws had a bag of 5 for $2.49! I was thrilled. I went home and stuffed pork chops with slices of lemon, sauteed mushrooms and fresh basil leaves, drizzled it with lemon juice and olive oil and stuck it in the oven with baby potatoes. I served it with a hearty stuffing and purple broccoli and we couldn't get enough of it. Now I'm thinking I'll make some shrimp and lemon pasta (with fresh basil or maybe dill) on the weekend - fresh and summery for this time of year, exactly what we need!!

Last night I went back into Loblaws to pick up some snacks for a get together we were having later - they have a great selection and wonky choices like Tomato Pretz from I think Hong Kong, and things like fragrant Onion Rings and Shrimp Sticks.

On my way to the bakery for something sweet, I passed by a container of cherry sized heirloom tomatoes of every colour - yellow, orange, red, dark purple and green - $3.99! I would have snapped up one or two, but I had yellow tomatoes from the market waiting for me at home.

A couple of weeks ago, a similarily colourful bunch appeared at the end of the onion aisle - a bag of mini potatoes - red, white, brown and purple - for only $1.99.

While it's not just multi-coloured collections that I'm after, I am so excited about my trips to Loblaws now, because who knows what I'll find and come home with!

- Stephanie

Season of food

It's the season of lots of food, particularly if you celebrate Christmas. Sweets, shortbreads, candy canes, big meals, parties (by the way, isn't December the time you're supposed to get a rest? why doesn't it ever work out that way?)

Anyway, now that it's cold just about everywhere in the country, we can turn on our ovens and set to roasting and baking. Back at Thanksgiving, my mother showed up with two pepper squashes, and as happens sometimes, it sat in my vegetable bowl for almost two months before I decided what to do with it. It started turning from a deep green to a bright orange, so I figured I better act fast if I wanted to try this lovely vegetable. When I cut it open (not easy, it was huge, and very, very hard), every thing looked fresh, so I got to work. I love squash, but I find pepper squash's flavour and texture need to be enhanced just a little. So here's what I finally did last night.

Roast Pepper Squash

1 large pepper squash, halved and seeded
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp butter
salt & pepper
2 tbsp maple syrup

Lay the squash halves cut side up on a baking sheet. Sprinkle brown sugar over both halves, put one tablespoon of butter into the hollow of each half, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Cover the squash tightly with foil, then bake in a preheated 400F oven for 1 - 1.5 hours, or until soft.

There will be a fair amount of liquid in the hollows of the squash -- pour that into a bowl, then scoop out the flesh into the same bowl (make sure you're using oven mitts here!!). Add the maple syrup (I believe that more is better), and mash well. Mash with a potato masher or puree with a stick blender (I like it to be just a little lumpy, but if you like a smoother texture, you could even put it in a food processor or blender). Serves 4-6.



FYI -- I had this with roasted chicken breasts (skin on, bone-in -- much better flavour) and roasted potatoes and carrots. -- CG

Gourmet Food & Wine Expo

Hi Folks,

We're gearing up here at pan for issue # 1, so be on the lookout! If you wish to be emailed an announcement, please email stephanie@panmagazine.ca.

In the meantime, I thought I'd tell you about the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo that took place this weekend at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Although it seemed smaller than previous years, some of the finds were worth the trip:

La Casa Del Habano, fine makers of Cuban cigars in Yorkville, has a Cuban cigar rolling demonstation with a lovely man who made the most exquisite cigars I've ever seen (and I've seen them first hand on the streets of Cuba). It was fascinating to learn about the layers of leaves, the quotas that the rollers must adhere to and the people who make them.

Aqua Bar has a unique booth - it was filled with just bottled water! The most interesting was the pricey BLING water ($30 for a small bottle), whose bottle is encrusted with Swarovski crystals (Holt Renfrew is carrying it in case you feel the need for ice).

And yes, some of the food and wine were good too. I had venison ribs, eggplant pasta, sushi and oysters from Rodney's. I had a $50/bottle glass of Cabernet that was lovely, a Niagara Blonde beer (I see it becoming a serious contender in the market this year) and the most refreshing grapefruit sake cooler that can only be ordered by the case from Japan. I'm thinking maybe 2 cases would tide me over until the holidays...

I know it's too late to go to the Expo now, but keep it in mind for next year. There's also a lot of confectionary and condiment goodies to be had at the One of a Kind show this week, so there's still time for that.

And Chris and I will be getting you our year's favourite gadgets, ingredients and the like soon, so stay tuned for more great food news!

- Stephanie

Looking for An Avocado Peeler?

I've been researching kitchen gadgets for the upcoming issue and just came across a great Canadian site - KitchenNiche - that I thought you might want to check out. I am intrigued by the avacado peeler and impressed with their selection of lemon and garlic presses. They also have gourmet food, pepper mills and a salt pig (you'll have to see it for yourself!) in case gadgets aren't your thing.

It is wonderful to find more Canadian cooking sites to access and I will let you know of any others that I come across!

In the meantime, happy cooking!

- Stephanie

What to do with Jack-o...

It was a lousy weekend, but in amongst all the work I had to do, I tried to scrounge an adequate pumpkin to carve for Halloween. No luck. And it’s a shame because pumpkin carving is a long and proud tradition in my family, going at least back to my grandfather. Sadly, all my neighbours had plucked the best ones, some of them starting their collections as early as mid-September. Further evidence that Halloween rivals Christmas as a holiday – you can’t wait until the last minute (or even a few days before) to do your shopping, or else you’re out of luck.

So no pumpkin for me, and no chance to address the annual question – can you (and should you) cook your jack-o-lantern? Out in foodie land, the jury is still out. Check out these sites:

www.frugalfun.com/f7.html
www.preparedpantry.com/vol3iss10-5.htm
southerncuisine.suite101.com/article.cfm/fresh_pumpkin_puree_for_recipes
www.slashfood.com/2006/10/22/picking-the-perfect-pumpkin/

For me, though, the answer is unequivocally yes. I wouldn’t make a pie out of it, but as a secondary ingredient, it’s excellent. The flavour is very mild and the texture is smooth. At least that’s been my experience. Food writers say jack-o-lantern pumpkin flesh is too stringy, but I’ve made curried pumpkin soup with it, and even added it to chili (it softens the acidity of the tomatoes, and gives a slightly creamy texture, although you can’t taste any pumpkin at all).

Of course, preparing a large pumpkin for cooking is labour-intensive and makes you wonder whether it’s worth it. First, you have to make sure that you have scooped out all the seeds and the soft, stringy gunk on the inside. You can save the seeds and roast them, if you like, but I find those seeds not worth the effort. Most of them aren’t fat enough to really enjoy. Make sure you cut out any discoloured or black spots, or any parts that are sagging, which usually happens around the holes you cut during carving.

You could cut it into chunks and freeze it in an airtight bag, of course, but you’re just putting off the hard work that way. The first couple of times, I cut poor little jack-o into large hunks, and baked them at a low heat (250F, if I recall correctly) until soft. This softened the pumpkin and got the water out – so much water, in fact, that the cookie sheet I used was filled almost to overflowing. Taking the pumpkin slabs out of the oven was tricky and dangerous work. Once I’d dumped the water, though, it was pretty easy to remove the skin and scoop the pumpkin into freezer bags.

It wasn’t a perfect process. There was all that hot water to carefully balance, it was time consuming, and the oven dried out the edges.

I thought there must be a better way, so two years ago, I tried peeling the pumpkin first with a large chef’s knife, a slow and imprecise job. I cut what was left into large cubes and threw them all into a large stockpot. Over low heat, I cooked the pumpkin very slowly. Once it was all soft, I removed batches into a sieve and pressed. This got rid of almost all of that excess water, and made it ready for freezing. Voilà!

It was not to be this year, and it’s frustrating to see all those beautiful pumpkins in the neighbourhood get smashed and go straight into the garbage. But next year, I’ll go early for my multi-purpose orange friend. Maybe do some Christmas shopping while I’m at it.

Chris

Relish It

Sometimes I worry about my love of food. At times it seems almost unnatural - like no one can love baby Hubbard squash that much.

But then I see things like The Condiment Museum online and I know that at least for another day, I am just a normal chick that has a penchant for Butter Pecan Catfish, guacamole and curried corn on the cob.

TCM is a part of our food history and while it might seem slightly obsessional, it is fascinating to walk through the "aisles" and see what we've been eating all of these years.

It makes dressing your hot dog at the ballgame a whole new thing now, doesn't it?

- Stephanie

Putting Words in Your Mouth

Remember when magnetic poetry first came on the scene?

Everyone was creating sultry, come-hither invitations that had to removed when one's parents were visiting.

Now the same can be done with food words. This has been a long time coming, I think, because nothing makes one drool like aroma, simmering and silky. Mmm... I am composing stanzas and recipes all at once.

Get your own kit and get the kitchen party started.

- Stephanie

October Is National Chili Month (Among Other Things)

We here at pan love our chili! We like it mild, spicy, vegetarian or with ground turkey. And stewing beef infused with Guiness and chocolate is good too. What's your favourite chili? Submit your favourite chili recipes to stephanie@panmagazine.ca and we'll post them here.

I'm off to test some recipes and I'll get back to you with the results. In the meantime, Happy Chili Month!

- Stephanie

Why do I love food in the fall? Let me count the ways...

1. Apples everywhere! Pie, crumble, or just biting into a hard, crisp Macintosh.

2. In summer, I live in fear of using my oven. Now I can roast and bake and broil without turning my kitchen into a living hell.

3. Soups, stews and chilis. Nothing better to me than heating up a bowl of something comforting.

4. Butternut squash. Well, all of those late-season squashes. So much more satisfying than zucchini!

5. Thanksgiving. I love that holiday so much, I'm thinking of celebrating the American version as well! - CG

Other people's recipes

While reviewing this blog, I decided, in a moment of procrastination, to hit the "next blog" link. Check out the recipes that popped up!

http://hootiepalooza.blogspot.com/2006/10/fall-food.html

Fall is my favourite food season, and any new ideas for squash are most welcome!

Chris

Student recipe guide online

Check out the nascent online cookbook I've started at for University of Toronto students:

http://www.studentservices.utoronto.ca/resources/cookbook.aspx


C

Season of the bird

Thanksgiving is my favourite holiday. It's the one holiday of the year that is primarily about food. Dinner is what Thanksgiving is all about.

For the first time in years, I hosted dinner for everyone, and, much to my surprise, with relatively little stress. I got myself a 14-pound turkey from Fresh From The Farm, and followed the recipe from Bonnie Stern's HeartSmart Cooking for Family and Friends. I also used Bonnie's recipe for Butternut Squash with Pears and Dried Cranberries, which is amazing, although I have found it takes much longer to cook than she suggests. Throw some potatoes and yams in the oven, heat up some corn, and get my mom to bring her famous apple and pumpkin pies, and my family is happy.

Hooray for autumn!

Chris

Cooking school

I work full time at the University of Toronto, where I run a program designed for first-year students. Lately I've done a couple of cooking workshops for students who are away from home for the first time. One group had about 15 people and the other had close to 60. It made me realize how much I had learned over the years, and how much I took for granted.

Take, for instance, cutting an onion. We were making a soup, but I wanted to make sure as many students as possible got into the act, so I would ask for volunteers from the audience. As with most soups -- most dishes for that matter -- the first thing to do was chop onions. The first volunteer took a knife in one hand, the onion in the other, and looked blankly at me. Clearly, he had no idea what to do. Do you cut off the ends first? Cut it in half? Peel it? How much of the skin do you take off? These were questions that I realized I didn't know the answer to until I set out on my own so many years ago.

When I had 60 students, I felt like a rock star. I was standing on a stage, behind a table with a hot plate on it. Flanking my table were two other tables, each with two cutting boards. When a volunteer finished his or her job, we would all applaud and cheer, even if all they did was open and drain a can of chick peas. With the group of 15, I shared the workshop with a colleague, and we were more like parents -- "Yes, that looks good", "No, don't peel the potatoes", "What do you think, more salt?". It's a blessing of my job that I get to share my love for cooking, and even more of a blessing that I get to share the food. The soup was delicious.

Here's the recipe:


EASY VEGETABLE SOUP

4 cups Water, Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock
2 cloves garlic
2 medium Onions
1 tsp each Dried Herbs (such as Thyme, Oregano, Marjoram, Summer Savory, Rosemary)
2 ribs Celery
4 large Carrots
2 large Potatoes
Any other vegetables you like: eg. Broccoli, Zucchini, Frozen or fresh Peas and Corn
1 can (19 oz) Chick Peas or Kidney Beans
Salt
Pepper
Fresh parsley, curly or flat-leaved, chopped (optional)

Put the water or stock in a large pot and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, chop the onions into small pieces, about 1/4 inch square. Mince the garlic by chopping very finely or using a garlic press,. Chop all the other vegetables into bite-size pieces. When the water is boiling, throw in the onion and garlic. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-high, so the soup is simmering rather than fully boiling, and begin to add the herbs, then the chopped vegetables, depending on how long it takes to cook them (celery, potatoes and carrots take 10-15 minutes, broccoli and zucchini about 5 minutes, frozen veggies take just a couple). Add more water or stock if the soup seems too chunky. Open the can of chick peas and drain it in a colander. Rinse well. Add chick peas to soup, and cook until they're heated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle the parsley over the bowl. Enjoy with bread, and to be really nutritious, have a salad on the side!

For a thicker broth, before you ladle the soup into the bowls, try putting 1/4 to 1/2 of the soup in a blender, pureeing until smooth and adding it back to the pot. Mix thoroughly and serve.

If you make enough, this soup can last you for days. If you puree all of it in the blender, it will freeze really well and makes a great quick meal heated up on a cold winter day.

Other possibilities:

- Try adding a can of whole or diced tomatoes after the chick peas for a deeper flavour.
- Throw in leftover cooked meat (chicken, beef, sausage, lamb etc.) if you want to be a carnivore!
- Experiment with ingredients (eg. Try cumin, or soya sauce for flavouring). The great thing about soup is it’s a part of every culture, so use vegetables, herbs and spices that you liked when you were growing up.

-- Chris

Write for us!

Don't forget we're looking for submissions on all kinds of food topics. Our writer's guidelines are here: http://www.panmagazine.ca/index_files/Page373.htm.

C

Website progress...

We're moving forward with our website, and hope to have a full issue ready in a couple of months. For now check us out http://www.panmagazine.ca/ and have a look inside some of your neighbour's fridges.

The most interesting thing about this article to me is that a full fridge does not necessarily indicate an avid cook. I love to cook, and I love eating, but I'll often have a fridge full of nothing but condiments, and that's when I know it's time to go shopping. I'd like to say it's because I'm not wasteful, but I have been known to throw out bags of carrots with tears in my eyes.

Chris

Issue # 1

Welcome to pan magazine, where Canadians can dish about what matters most - food.

Our website will be up shortly. In the meantime, if you are interested in submitting to our online magazine, please email the Managing Editor at stephanie@panmagazine.ca and you will be sent the submission guidelines.

Many thanks!

pan magazine