Toronto Haunts

We just got back from a trip to Toronto to visit family and some old favorite food haunts that I thought I'd share. Like this perfectly... well... just perfect... end to a visit to my brother-in-law's and hanging out with his cool daughter. It was just a very short walk around the corner to one of my all time favorite Toronto simple pleasures - Churrasco Villa Portuguese-style Fire Grilled Piri Piri Chicken and even though I was fuller than full I had to have a traditional Portuguese custard tart. Just looking at the photo has me wanting to go back and learn from the locals how to make it.

It was my mother-in-law's birthday - she's just a bit over 21 and we went to Jerusalem Restaurant... sorry, no pictures I was too busy stuffing my face with baba ghanouje and fried eggplant - so garlicky and so delicious- followed by my favorite thing on their menu - Liver sauteed in garlic & hot sauce - I'm drooling!

Then a walk around the old neighborhood - to walk off those meals! And a sight that never fails to excite me... Koslik's Mustards... the only way I can get a stash in Halifax is to order on line or beg visitors to bring some home. My favorites... balsamic figs & dates and Lime & Honey, both perfect in salads, on sandwiches and slathered on chicken or fish before grilling. Good thing I left room in the suitcase to transport some home!
One of the things I really miss in Halifax is the neighborhood butcher shops. That's the gang at Nortown Foods on Eglinton - I was a regular - my favorites...
veal... you can see the thick cut chop on the left and, right of the veal brisket, a tiny bit of my very favorite - thin veal chops for bread crumb coating, quick saute for color & final bake - delicious! and beef flanken or short ribs - thin cut here is what they call "Miami Ribs" also found in Korean Grill Houses. Just marinate teriyaki style and grill quickly. Cut thicker (1" or so) and it's perfect for thick hearty soups & braises.
And I noticed a new shop that I had to explore (that's where I found the Koslik's) The Healthy Butcher, which when I was living in Toronto, only had one shop on Queen W. Now apparently there are three locations and this one is spectacular.
I even got a peak at the butchery behind the gorgeous display & serving areas.
Naturally, I had to venture to Little Portugal and give you a glimpse of a very busy, very popular Portuguese Butcher shop.
They have their own butchers behind the counter area too.

My Honey's mom made us a traditional Jewish Friday night dinner - chicken soup with matzo balls, gefilte fish, salad, roast beef, and as if that wasn't enough... grilled liver for me and grilled steaks for her "boys". Sorry, no photos we were too busy enjoying the food and the company.
And our last meal in Toronto was at my cousin Ar's place - check out the very Martha Stewart centerpiece of thick candles in bowls of cranberries... It's always a treat to hang out with her and one should be forewarned to wear stretch pants when heading over. The photos aren't so great, but the food sure was.
My Honey - not usually a soup fan, devoured this Cauliflower Soup with Bacon & Truffle Oil. She sent the recipe, so I'll be making and posting really soon.
That was followed by an awesome Garlicky Roasted Chicken (stuffed with about a hundred cloves of garlic - okay, slight exaggeration), and all the trimmings, including some scalloped potatoes - recipe from Eat, Shrink & Be Merry...
...to counter the heavy cream in the soup and the million calories in this trifle!
Even the best of vacations come to an end... we couldn't stay away from these two - or their parents for very long.

The Spice Man & Epices de Cru

A week or so before my first speedy trip to Toronto, I met Costas Halavrezos and his neighor & friend Ruth at the Old Brewery Market. He now distributes a wonderful collection of spices from around the world hunted down by the Spice Hunters at Epices de Cru, headquartered in Montreal. You have to check out the website, where you'll find, not only the fantastic spices and aromatic blends, but brilliant recipes and stories on their blogs - a National Geographic trek around the world searching out the finest spice treasures anywhere.
Costa had so many wonderful choices of gift boxes and individual spices, my head was spinning. In the end, I couldn't resist the gift box (well... it was a gift to me from me and I don't feel guilty in the least)... my kit - Caris et Masalas - curries & masalas, included Sri Lankan Black Curry, some Jamaican curry, some Martinique Colombo Spice Blend, some Mauritius Masala, some Trinidadian Curry, and some Singapore Curry.
After much sniffing of tins, I decided on the sri Lankan Black curry and whipped up Kalu Mas Curry with just a few changes to their delicious recipe... no lemongrass and I used fenugreek leaves as I had no curry leaves on hand either. It still was spectacular.
Their aromatic Basmati Rice Pilaf was equally delightful, just as presented and so simple to do. Don't you just love the toasted poppy seed garnish? The sweetness of the rice - cardamom, cloves, cinnamon & coriander does it well - was the perfect partner for the tangy curried beef - the tamarind paste really added zing to the dish.
And a very cool trick to keep your blend fresh... The note in the box advised me to blend the entire little tin so that all the individual whole spices would be part of the mix you added to your dish. As you can see, just dipping a spoon into each jar would mean missing out on one or more fragrant spice. If you do have any left, pour the ground spice back into the little tin and freeze until the next time.

Now I have to decide which blend to try next... and hope that Costa is still at the market so I can purchase some of the individual spice tins as well.

Mr Zinman "Chickie" Man

There have been many times when I've mentioned growing up in suburban Montreal and never hearing terms like "free range" or "organic". It was a simpler time... to say the least. My mom was a stay-at-home mom, like all of her sisters and all of our neighbours and no one ever even asked what they "did". And although we lived quite a hike to even a paved road - we were one of the first families in the new suburb called Ville St Laurent - so new in fact, we left billy boots at my parents' friends house over half mile away for our trek home.

Imagine.... my mother didn't have a car and yet, we ate extremely well. I'm obviously dating myself, but the milkman came to the door - and nooooo...not in a horse driven cart - I'm not THAT old. Milk, however, was sold in glass bottles - a new resurgence at some of today's farmers markets. Grocery stores delivered FREE OF CHARGE - our fruits and vegetables came from Mr Young's Fruit Market. My mother would call in her order and a couple of hours later it would arrive - everything fresh and delicious. She'd arrange for her meat purchases the same way from butchers who had close connections with the source. My mouth waters for her veal chops. Unlike today, veal came from small animals. A typical dinner portion was three breaded veal chops (we didn't eat much pork at home), a side of mashed potatoes and some vegetable - usually green. Today... if you can find veal chops near you... they are huge - think rib steak... and expensive. SIGH....

But my favorite memory is the weekly phone calls from Mr Zinman. When any of us kids would answer, he'd say "It's Mr Zinman - the chicky man. Is your mummy there?" I knew wonderful things were in store. Fried chicken, "BBQ" chicken (mom's sauce is also awesome on spareribs), ginger capon for special events like Rosh Hashana... I'm drooling.
You can find them all in my eCookbook Every Kitchen Tells Its Stories , if you're interested. But I digress a bit.

When Sharron and I were leaving the Jean Talon Market, I couldn't believe my eyes...
and in trying to find their website - they don't have one, but I did discover this great review...

"I can't believe no one mentioned Zinman Chicken Market. the place is huge, supplies most of the mentioned butcher shops, and has great service! the meat never disappoints, and they will prepare anything you want. the store is on the corner of st-dominique and mozart. the butchers are extremely knowledgeable. you can ask them pretty much any thing. give it a try you won't be disappointed!"

from Chowhound forum on great butcher shops in Montreal

It's always wonderful to see that an old favorite is still everyone's favorite all these years later. Do you have a long standing favorite?

More Technology -iPhone apps

Although I've been a blogger since 2005, I always consider myself a non-techie. So... for all of you who are much more in tune with the tech toys of today... I've finally arrived. You can breathe a sigh of relief. And for those of you who are not quite there yet, let me assure you that it's a lot more wonderful - and way easier - than you can imagine.

Yesterday I wrote about the latest technology that actually tracked my lobster purchase from the time & place it was caught, until it reached my table - less than 24 hours!

Today, I thought I'd share another great tool - my Apple iPhone 4 Black Smartphone that is resting on my trusty Acer Netbook (which travels with me everywhere - it's light, small and awesome).

First - don't you love my background photo - two of the cutest boys anywhere. And my very first real "app" It's from Epicurious.com - and you know I love their site. It costs $1.99 and no -I get no commission, gift or rebate for sharing here. But let me back up a bit. If you're like me, you bookmark great recipes you see on magazine and foodie websites... and then a) never look at them again or b)... and this is worse... can't find them.

The thing I love best about Epicurious.com is that I have my very own recipe box. It even remembers me when I log in! ... and forward to my iPhone app - complete with recipes and - more important - shopping lists for each recipe, complete with quantities.
These Wild Mushroom Crostini were the appetizers to last night's lobster feast. Extra vinaigrette was tossed into the salad - delish!
And extra filling made the perfect mushroom & cheese omelet this morning. So what's your latest, greatest foodie app for me to add?

Best Lobster Dinner Ever!

Update to the earlier post...just look at that color. This has to be the best lobster ever. Just steamed - first time for me, and it will definitely be the way to go. Way less "juice" to clean up and so moist and tender. And because it was just caught yesterday - you could really taste the ocean.
That's my son-in-law enjoying his - notice the rice my daughter had me make... that no one actually ate because the 1 1/2 pound lobster and a little salad was plenty ... enough said... all but - Thank you Captain Chris!

My Market Catch - Lobster - Hi Tech, Local & Sustainable

A little birdie told me about Off the Hook and fresh lobster at the Historic Brewery Farmers Market. If you are in Halifax and missed out today, they'll be back on Dec 23rd & 30th.

First, a little about Off the Hook - You can find out all about it HERE, but in a nutshell...

"We believe that healthy, prosperous fishing communities are vital to the economic, cultural and environmental resilience of our province. We believe that the future of our communities depends upon diverse local economies that work to enhance the “triple bottom line.” The triple bottom line refers to the idea that nature, society and economies are interconnected. We feel that long-term solutions must recognize and nurture all three of these aspects together ...

...Community Supported Fisheries (CSFs) are modelled after “Community Supported Agriculture” (CSA) enterprises, which work to connect consumers to locally and sustainably grown, fairly traded foods. Social enterprises like CSFs help make sure that independent, small-scale fishing families can continue to pursue their livelihoods in an industry rapidly becoming dominated by large-scale, corporate players."

I love supporting local farmers and fishermen when I can, so when I heard about the lobsters... I was there bright and early and met Captain Chris Hudson and (I'm guessing) his lovely wife.
Just check out the haul- too bad I didn't take a video because they were all waving at me and I can only assume they were thinking "Pick Me! Pick Me! Then again, perhaps they were saying "Pick Him! Pick Her!"
My catch of the day...four gorgeous 1 1/2 lb lobsters for dinner tonight. Well, my Honey, my daughter & son-in-law will love them. The boys will enjoy their chicken fingers.
And that should be enough to get you green with envy, but I have more to tell...
...check out the tag on the claw. Each lobster has an ID number and you can trace it to when & where it was caught, plus who caught it. What a cool hi tech way to actually know how fresh your lobster is.
Check out... This Fish. This one... and his three friends were caught yesterday in the Bay of Fundy, by Captain Chris Hudson; his vessel - the Fundy Viper II; port - Victoria Beach NS.

It's a wonderful way to really understand when & where our food comes from. A couple of months ago I reviewed The Ocean Wise Cookbook, that made me more aware of how little I knew about the fish I was buying. It got me checking out labels at supermarkets and asking fishmongers pointed questions about the provenance of my potential purchase... and still leaving me frustrated and uninformed.

But not today. Today I have the most beautiful, fresh lobsters, caught yesterday in the Bay of Fundy, purchased this morning before 8am, and I'm going to do the simplest thing with them for dinner. Steamed or boiled in sea salted water (1 tbsp salt for every litre/quart of water) for 12 minutes for 1lb/500g lobster and an additional minute for every 1/4 lb/125 g. My 1 1/2 lb/750g lobsters should only take 14-15 minutes - for boiling and 20 minutes for steaming (1" of salted water in a huge pot). Tip from Anita Stewart's Canada is to plunge the cooked lobster in a sink of ice water for 30 seconds to to prevent the meat from sticking to the shell. I'll be serving them with melted garlic butter and lemon wedges. A side salad is enough for me, but apparently my daughter needs some carbs, so perhaps some steamed rice.

Presto Pasta Night #194

Just a quick "Heads up" to check From Kirsten's Kitchen to Yours for this week's - and 2010's last Presto Pasta Night Roundup. I've had a sneak peek and there are so many really easy & really comforting pasta dishes to get us through the crazy frantic couple of weeks ahead. Thanks Kirsten to take the time to create a fabulous roundup. And thanks everyone for making it to the roundup and sharing some terrific dishes.

Presto Pasta Nights is taking a holiday break too - but I'll be hosting the first 2011 roundup on January 7th. You can send me your delish dishes anytime between now and Jan 6th. Just email the link to ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com.

In the meantime.... Have a Joyous Holiday Season and all the very best for a healthy, prosperous and pasta filled 2011!

Montreal & Jean Talon Market

I can't believe that it's more than a week since I was in Montreal visiting my younger daughter and was lucky enough to catch a typical Montreal Snow Storm - the kind I remember from growing up there. I always loved the first one. Everything is truly white and reminds me of those snow globes you shake and see the perfect winter wonderland. That's my angel on the right, early in the snowfall with her BFF, Dana. It was fairly early in the day on Monday and well before the streets were totally covered in snow with snowbanks up to ones knees. Long before traffic slowed to a snail's pace. And, our trip to the airport to head back to Halifax, usually under 30 minutes, took well over an hour... but I digress.
In the middle of the storm, Sharron and I went to the Jean Talon Market. My memories are usually of summer and a glorious glut of tasty goodies. All those open air aisles and aisles of produce are now filled with Christmas trees.
Even though most of the produce vendors are now indoors - shops that ring the market all year long, sell all sorts of deliciousness (the one above sells wonderful pates, cheeses and so much more of the very French "deli" fare I miss most...
plus other tiny restaurants selling all sorts of ethnic fare, like these Merguez sausages on a bun (our first "snack" of the visit).
The indoor market naturally has produce stands, but it also has so many glorious shops that sell everything from fine pastries -
French, & ethnic beauties, like these Middle Eastern delicacies above that have everyone drooling even before the big purchase... if you can choose just one, that is.
There were several cheese vendors or fromageries as they're called in Quebec, inside the main market, plus at least 2 around the outdoor stands. Another thing I crave.
Just look at the presentation of this feta.

The kitchen supply store has every wonderful gadget imaginable. I should have bought the microplane for shaving chocolate that had holes in the shape of tiny gingerbread men. No photo, I was too busy trying to figure out if there was room in my luggage... the answer...not this time around, but next time I'll plan appropriately.
Back to food... several butchers, a couple of fresh fish & seafood vendors (good thing we now have Getaway Farm for beef and The Fish Shop at the Halifax Seaport Market or I wouldn't have wanted to come home) and just look at the variety of these stunning mushrooms.
One thing that always impressed me about the Jean Talon Market is, not just the presentation, but the little plates of cut up fruit & vegetables to taste. Look how beautifully the oranges are arranged! And, true, the indoor vendors are not purely local farmers, everything is wonderful. I was smiling all the way home in the blizzard! But I'm not done yet...
Milano's Supermarket is definitely the place to buy anything Italian in Montreal. It's huge!
Just look at this window display of pastas (by the way, this week's Presto Pasta Night is being hosted by Kirsten of From Kirsten's Kitchen to Yours, and it's the last one of 2010! Let's make it awesome... I already have mine in mind... and send the link to kirstenmlindquist (at) gmail (dot) com with a cc to ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com).
And back to Montreal... don't you love our main course... puff pastry tart with fresh-from-the-market spinach & king oyster mushrooms & fresh goat cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

Do you have a special place "back home" that you like to visit?

Avocado Zest Oil + Fresh From the Farm Lettuce

Did you ever get the desire to play match maker? To pair the perfect duo for what you are sure will exemplify the definition of a marriage made in Heaven? Personally, I don't do a great job of that with people, but...how about the perfect salad with fresh from the farm lettuce tossed with an awesome vinaigrette. And... yes... sometimes it's as simple as that.

This particular salad still has me thinking about it days later. So I thought I'd share how all the wonderful ingredients met.

While I was in Toronto a couple of weeks ago, I received an early holiday gift from the people at Olivado Natural Nutrition. Four beautiful bottles of oils... Organic Avocado Oil, Avocado Zest, Omega Plus (blend of olive, avocado & flaxseed oils)and Macadamia Nut Oil.

I think I should let them speak for themselves:

"Olivado oils represent the healthiest, most delicious and versatile oils on the market today. We pioneered the process of extracting oil from the avocado, which are cold pressed at our own purpose-built plants, utilizing a stabilization system unique to Olivado that delivers a premium, high quality oil with a very long shelf life.

With a 500 degree F./ 255 C smoke point, (the highest of any extra virgin oil) our ultra healthy Olivado oils make a superb cooking oil, as well as a delicious salad dressing. It is also excellent for bread dipping and drizzling over vegetables. "

... not to mention the fact that they are all natural, high in mono-unsaturates and antioxidants. They are kosher and great for high heat cooking, salads-drizzlings & dressings. For this salad I used the Avocado Zest oil with just a hint of lemony tang to it.
Boates Farm Balsamic Apple Cider Vinegar from the Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia, has been my BFF since 2007. It always makes me look good, never disappoints... unless I run out and can't find any at the markets.

Add a touch of Dijon mustard and a hint of local honey and ... voila! vinaigrette perfection.

As for what to put it on... well, this time around it was mache lettuce (also called Lamb's lettuce) and is usually found in the Spring in Europe & North America. So I was really pleased when one of my favorite Nova Scotian growers - Ted Hutten of Hutten Family Farm happened to have a few bags left this past Saturday at the Old Historic Properties Farmers Market. It's from his greenhouse operation, which means we get lovely exotic greens all year long.

Now I have to find the perfect mate for the Macadamia Nut Oil, which is subtle but still nutty. I'm thinking replacing vegetable or canola oil in a healthy muffin...

perhaps these Blueberry Corn Muffins. I do have some lovely blueberries in the freezer that we picked back in August. That would definitely be a marriage made in Heaven.