eatdrink Serving London, Stratford & Area FREE PLEASE TAKE ONE RESTAURANTS вЂў RECIPES вЂў WINE вЂў TRAVEL David ChapmanвЂ™s Roadmap to Success Still CookinвЂ™ at Bijou eatdrinkmag.net aLwayS MoRe onLine Restaurant Search вЂў Reviews вЂў Maps вЂў Links Issue Five вЂў December 2007 Trendspotting: whatвЂ™s Hot in Tea? -LH[\YPUN H \UPX\L TLU\ M\ZPUN 4LKP[LYYHULHU U L PUNYLKPLU[Z HUK ;OHP Г…H]V\YZ ^P[O HU L_[LUZP]L ^PUL SPZ[ HUK ZL_` H[TVZWOLYL Please join us for dinner Tuesday through Sunday Visit Our Website to Check Out Our Christmas and New Years Eve Menus and Other Special Events 2PUN :[YLL[ В‹ 3VUKVU В‹ ^ ^ ^ [ O L Y L K N V H [ J V T CONTENTS RESTAURANT PROFILE 6 Baby, itвЂ™s Cold outside But the Bijou Restaurant is still cookinвЂ™in Stratford. By Cecilia Buy WINE 10 icewine: our national Treasure A review of Icewine: Extreme Winemaking. By Shari Darling SPOTLIGHT 14 Pass da Pasta, Kathy! The Spotlight shines on Kathy Hundt of StratfordвЂ™s Pass da Pasta Specialty Food Shoppe. By Chris McDonell TRENDSPOTTING 15 whatвЂ™s Hot in Tea? Tea has come of age in many interesting ways. By Martha McAlister BOOKS 19 a Baking Bible & Food to Die For A review of Baking Illustrated By Jennifer Gagel A review of The Year of Eating Dangerously By Darin Cook CHEFS 22 a Roadmap to Success David Chapman is dedicated to his customers. And his staff. By Melanie North EATDRINKBUZZ 32 new & notable Chefs, restaurants, culinary trends and notable hot spots. Catch the buzz! By Bryan Lavery BEER 42 winter warmers for the Holidays Strong Beer suggestions, and donвЂ™t forget to put some down in your вЂњbeer cellar.вЂќ By The Malt Monk SEASONAL RECIPES 48 Let it Snow, Let it Snow! Christmas treats that are easy to make and oh so good. By Christine Scheer TRAVEL 50 a Culinary Tour of Barcelona Medieval charm and 21st-century flare. By Kent Van Dyk MIXOLOGY 53 Holiday eggnog Do you really want to serve your special guests pre-packaged eggnog? By Darcy OвЂ™Neil THE LIGHTER SIDE 56 The Christmas Dog An errant email from a society maven tripping to Ikea and down memory lane. By Millicent Windsor eatdrink в„ў RESTAURANTS вЂў RECIPES вЂў WINE вЂў TRAVEL eatdrinkmag.net A Food & Drink Magazine Serving London, Stratford & Area в„ў В» Register for the free digital edition to be delivered monthly вЂ” more recipes, photos, stories and links. В» A virtual magnet for all things culinary вЂ” п¬Ѓnd restaurants, read reviews and much more. Publisher & Advertising Manager Chris McDonell chris@eatdrinkmag.net Oп¬ѓce Manager Cecilia Buy Telephone & Fax 519 434-8349 Mailing Address 525 Huron Street, London ON N5y 4J6 News & Feedback editor@eatdrinkmag.net Contributors Bryan Lavery Melanie North Shari Darling Cecilia Buy Christine Scheer D.R. Hammond Jennifer Gagel Millicent Windsor Kent Van Dyk Darin Cook Darcy O'Neil Editorial Advisory Board Bryan Lavery Chris McDonald Cathy Rehberg Copy Editor Melanie North Graphic Design & Layout Hawkline Graphics graphics@eatdrinkmag.net Website Milan Kovar/KOVNET Printing Impressions Printing St. Thomas ON Cover Image Chef and restaurateur David Chapman, left, in his namesake DavidвЂ™s Bistro, with his daughter and restaurant manager Natalie. Behind them, Chef Elvis Drennan of DavidвЂ™s Bistro and Chef Kelly Hamilton of Katana KafГ©. All of the photos in our David Chapman proп¬Ѓle, including this image, are by Jackie Noble (www.jackienoble.com). Copyright В© 2007 eatdrinkв„ў, Hawkline Graphics and the writers. All rights reserved. Reproduction or duplication of any material published in eatdrinkв„ў or on eatdrinkmag.netв„ў is strictly prohibited without the written permission of the Publisher. eatdrinkв„ў has a circulation of 10,000 issues published monthly. оЂ±e views or opinions expressed in the information, content and/or advertisements published in eatdrinkв„ў are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the Publisher. оЂ±e Publisher welcomes submissions but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material. always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net december 2007 вЂў issue five 5 NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER eatdrink and Be Merry! By Chris McDonell L et me open this issue by stating that I hope you are enjoying a quiet and peaceful moment with eatdrink. As I pen this, I am experiencing the п¬‚ip side of that coin, scrambling pell-mell with busy-ness while the holiday season thrusts itself onto my agenda. Picturing you, a reader, with feet up and drink in hand, leaves me feeling less frazzled and a little more inspired. WeвЂ™ve worked hard so that the magazine might do the same for you. I could as easily call this the вЂњprize issueвЂќ instead of the holiday issue. WeвЂ™ve launched a new department called вЂњTrendspottingвЂќ with an article on tea, and thereвЂ™s a fun little quiz that you can complete for a chance at, appropriately, some delightful teas. Good luck! WeвЂ™re also launching a contest for subscribers to our free digital edition. No worries if youвЂ™re already a subscriberвЂ”youвЂ™re already enteredвЂ”but on January 24, 2008, weвЂ™ll randomly select the winner of a fabulous prize package. Details are on page 41 and entering is easy; just follow the вЂњMagazineвЂќ link on our website and register. Remember, we guarantee no spam, and you can unsubscribe at any time. WeвЂ™ll keep you up to date with future issues via email, or if youвЂ™d prefer to pay for a printed subscription, we can look after that too. Of course, weвЂ™ll still have the magazine out and about in the community, free of charge, but our digital version allows us to include more content than our printing budget allows. As well, itвЂ™s interactive, and serves as a gateway to reams of related information. IвЂ™m pleased to announce that our Restaurant Reviews are now up online. Had a dining experience that youвЂ™d like to share with other readers? Be our guest. WeвЂ™ve got some reasonable and common sense guidelines to follow, but again, itвЂ™s a simple process that will be fun and useful. WeвЂ™ll post your helpful reports right where people are looking for restaurant information. With 2007 soon to come to an end, IвЂ™d like to acknowledge the many people who have supported this magazine launch. You made 2007 a satisfying year for me personally, as well as helped create a useful publication for our community. To my family, our writers, our advertisers and our readers: оЂ±ank you. Happy Holiday! They say home is where the heart is. NOW OPEN 911 Commissioners Road East (at Adelaide) 519-936-0585 Carlitos welcomes you to our home, that we might share our heart with you. Our desire is to serve you with excellence in all areas of your dining pleasures. On behalf of the entire family at Carlitos, we invite you to dine, relax and leave the rest to us. 6 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net issue five вЂў december 2007 RESTAURANTS Baby itвЂ™s Cold outside, But TheyвЂ™re Still CookinвЂ™ at the Bijou By Cecilia Buy way for horse-drawn wagons carrying farmers and their produce to the Market. Stepping through the door of Bijou, you tread onto the diagonally laid п¬‚oor of a former pool hall. Glance into the kitchen that still holds vestiges from its diner days, and look up at the blackboard menu. YouвЂ™re obviously in southwestern Ontario, circa 2007, because you are considering, perhaps, the Japanese-style Escabeche of Lake Huron Pickerel with cucumber, ginger and dried miso. BijouвЂ™s cuisine embraces the ethos of local and seasonal, but the Linleys stamp it with their own brand. вЂњModern French, with some Asian and Italian inп¬‚uenceвЂќ is how itвЂ™s described on the website. Aaron provides a more informative description: As an application of the technique, modern French means вЂњlighter reductions, lighter sauces with less starch, more [seasoning with] vinaigrettes with fresh herbs.вЂќ оЂ±e production itself is less complicated than in the haute cuisine of Escoп¬ѓer. оЂ±is simpliп¬Ѓcation of process, along with the use of the freshest possible ingredients, allows the natural п¬‚avours of the ingredients to shine. Similarly, adds Bronwyn, вЂњthe Asian and Italian inп¬‚uences involve technique as well as ingredients.вЂќ оЂ±e couple met at the Stratford Chefs School (Aaron is a local; Bronwyn moved here from Kingston). After graduation, they travelled and worked at such Photo: Evan Dion F estival season is over, but Stratford should still be on your list when youвЂ™re looking to dine out. After months of 70- to 80-hour weeks, Bronwyn and Aaron Linley, chefs/owners of Bijou Restaurant, are looking forward to a well-earned rest. With the theatre season п¬Ѓnished, many businesses in this tourist-driven town either shut down or cut down on their hours. For the restaurants that have gained or maintained their reputations during the past months (or years), November usually brings a more relaxed pace. But at Bijou, although theyвЂ™re open for fewer regular hours, theyвЂ™re still serving, and ramping up for Christmas parties, caterings and cooking classes. Like many buildings in the area, history lingers around Bijou Restaurant. It is just south of AllenвЂ™s Alley, a former passage- Bijou Restaurant Chefs/Owners Bronwyn and Aaron Linley. december 2007 вЂў issue five restaurants as Scaramouche and Acqua. вЂњWhen you graduate from chefs school, youвЂ™re not necessarily a chef,вЂќ says Aaron. вЂњYouвЂ™re just starting out. You continue to work on it all the time.вЂќ BronwynвЂ™s specialty is desserts, but in keeping with the notion of continuing education, she is now partway through training as a sommelier. As she says, the expertise of the wine person in a restaurant is like that of the chef, in that вЂњyou gain experience through working, research and familiarity.вЂќ With a busy restaurant, and two young children, the balance of her training will have to п¬Ѓt into the schedule. оЂ±ey opened Bijou in 2001. Initially, only half of the property was utilized, but three years ago they acquired the other half, which fronts onto Wellington Street. оЂ±is allowed the addition of seating for 20 to the existing 35, as well as a beautiful antique service bar, and an intimate private dining room for six. All of the kitchen staп¬Ђ is either a graduate or current student of the Stratford Chefs School, where Aaron teaches four mornings a week. Since opening, the Linleys have enjoyed very low staп¬Ђ turnover. For instance вЂњserver extraordinaireвЂќ Scott Hlusiak has been with them for six years. оЂ±is makes for a pleasant experience for returning diners, but also highlights one of the satisfactions the Linleys treasure in their chosen life at Bijou: the development of friendships and community. Former chef de partie Ross Derek returned from Ireland recently for a visit, and in a few weeks the Linleys will be travelling to Chicago to visit clients-now-friends. (Part of the upside of the challenge of wintertime in Stratford is having вЂњtime to always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net 7 A comfortable settee in front of the вЂњwindowвЂќ on Wellington Street. do what the rest of the world can do all year,вЂќ says Bronwyn.) оЂ±is past October, the Linleys joined with some other Stratford restaurants (including Down the Street, FosterвЂ™s Inn and Pazzo Ristorante) in oп¬Ђering 100-mile menus. As a widely publicized tourism The chalkboard menu reflects a commitment to freshness. 8 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net issue five вЂў december 2007 оЂ±ey espouse using local ingredients as much as possible. After all, as Aaron says, itвЂ™s вЂњalways cheaper, always more readily available and itвЂ™s always better.вЂќ But the chefs make no bones about sourcing from elsewhere too. Some things just arenвЂ™t to be had locally, or may be out of season, or not available in the quantities needed for a restaurant to be able to oп¬Ђer numerous portions. Some of their meat, for instance, comes from Quebec, often via the highly regarded purveyor La Ferme. But area suppliers like Soiled Reputation, Carol Francom, Larry Bender, and TerryвЂ™s Global Fish remain at the top of the shopping list. When the pace permits, the Linleys go to markets a little further aп¬Ѓeld, including those in St. JacobвЂ™s and in Kitchener. A private room is available. ItвЂ™s diп¬ѓcult to pigeonhole Bijou, promotion, it was a success for the town, to pinpoint its precise location on the but Bronwyn notes that it did not require spectrum of dining options. оЂ±e menu is вЂњa huge departure from our regular menu.вЂќ вЂњevery bit as ambitiousвЂќ as you would Elegance & Simplicity вЂў Cabinetry вЂў Vanities вЂў Countertops вЂў Millwork ItвЂ™s a feeling. When craftsmanship of cabinetry meets the detailing of hardware, it creates a symmetry of elegance and simplicity that just feels right. From Roy оЂ“omson Hall and the John Labatt Centre to many п¬Ѓne homes in London, integrity of design has been the hallmark of our work for over 45 years. Call or visit our showroom for a consultation. CONTINENTAL CABINET COMPANY INC. 519.455.3830 547 Clarke Road (Between Oxford & Dundas) Showroom Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-Noon www.continentalcabinet.com always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net december 2007 вЂў issue five expect from a п¬Ѓne dining restaurant, and prepared with no less attention to detail. оЂ±e wine list is extensive, and kitchen and service staп¬Ђ highly trained. But the atmosphere and dГ©cor are more bistrocasual. What the Linleys aimed for in crafting their Bijou was to bring all their experience and creativity to the table, and to put that table into a dining room that provides вЂњa diп¬Ђerent sort of evening вЂ¦ a sophisticated, pleasant experience.вЂќ So one of these cold winter days, when your timetable is not driven by showtime, slow down your pace and visit Bijou. оЂ±eyвЂ™re still cooking. Bijou Restaurant 105 Erie Street, Stratford 519-273-5000 www.bijourestaurant.com winter hours: thursday-saturday 5-9pm 9 TOP: Dark chocolate and dried cherry bread pudding with a sour cream ice cream; FAR LEFT: PurГ©e of Jerusalem artichoke soup with tamarind and tandoori oil; BOTTOM: Crispy braised duck with French lentils, baby bok choy and wakami broth. CECILIA BUY is a writer and designer who has enjoyed living and dining in London for the past 17 years. YOUR COUNTERTOP SPECIALISTS Countertops By MB Fast Turnaround Time Delivery вЂў Installation 519-659-3838 1490 Hamilton Road, Unit 2 Southwestern OntarioвЂ™s Largest Selection Over 100 Quartz & Granite Colours & Patterns! Forest City Custom Counter Tops 519-691-0303 Visit Our Showroom 100 Belmont Drive, Unit 8, London (At Wharncliffe Road S, across from Ray Cullen) Mon-Fri 9-5 вЂў Sat 10-2 www.forestcitycustomcountertops.com 10 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net issue five вЂў december 2007 WINE icewine: our national Treasure By Shari Darling I t can be diп¬ѓcult to п¬Ѓnd that ideal gift for the wine lover who owns a plethora of wine paraphernalia and operates a wine cellar п¬Ѓlled with expensive bottles. What you may want to consider giving your wine-loving friends, family or clients is a copy of the just-released book entitled Icewine: Extreme Winemaking (2007, Key Porter Books). оЂ±is is a stunning, hardcover coп¬Ђee table book worth its $50 price tag. Icewine: Extreme Winemaking is п¬Ѓlled with beautiful photographs and drawings. Authors Donald Ziraldo and Karl Kaiser are the former owners of Inniskillin Wines in Niagara-on-the-Lake who brought home the Grand Prix dвЂ™Honneur in the 1991 VinExpo Wine Competition. VinExpo is considered one of the most prestigious international wine competitions and sees thousands of wine entries each year. оЂ±is award not only established Inniskillin as a leader in the production of Canadian icewine, but put our country on the world wine map. оЂ±is award created a demand for icewine around the world, especially in China and Japan. In this book, Ziraldo and Kaiser take us on a scientiп¬Ѓc journey. оЂ±e book begins with the explanation of the formation of one molecule of frozen water and ends with many gorgeous recipes using icewine as an ingredient. оЂ±e recipes were developed by InniskillinвЂ™s former in-house chef, Izabela Kalabis-Sacco. оЂ±is book is the п¬Ѓrst in-depth study of icewine, but also one that celebrates what Canadian wine lovers could call our greatest national treasure. My favourite chapters are вЂњоЂ±e Taste ExperienceвЂќ and вЂњIcewine with Food.вЂќ In the former, we learn about the importance of using a quality wine glass, in this case an icewine glass, to enhance the characteristics of a wine. оЂ±e authors point out that one glass will bring out the wineвЂ™s vibrant fruity aromas, while another will thwart them. A quality wineglass makes a wineвЂ™s acidity taste refreshing and pleasing to the palate; an inferior one makes the same acidity seem tart and oп¬Ђensive. оЂ±e quality and intensity of the aromas of icewine are determined not only by the personality of the wine, but also by its aп¬ѓnity to the glass shape. Knowing the importance of the shape of a wineglass, Ziraldo and Kaiser were the Photo by Anton Fercher, from Icewine by Donald Ziraldo and Karl Kaiser, published by Key Porter Books. *!.5!29 s 3AMPLE WINES s BEERS s SPIRITS s TEMPTING CUISINE #HEF !NTHONY 3EDLAK ,ADIES .IGHT 1SFTFOUFE CZ .BOJDVSFT BOE .BSUJOJT 1SPH PHS HSFTT #VJMEJOH OH 8F 8 UFSO 8FTUF SO 'B 'BJS &WFOU $FOUS USF -POEPO O 0/ XXXXFTUF UFSSO SOG OGB GBJSDPN HDWGULQN В– HDWGULQNPDJQHW x"WJSUVBMNBHOFUGPSBMMUIJOHTDVMJOBSZ &//$ .% .%47/2+ 4 7/2+ IS A TTRADEMARK RADEMA D RK OFF 44ELEVISION ELLEVISION &OOD .ETWORK '0 USED W WITH ITH PE PERMISSION R M SSION 12 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net issue five вЂў december 2007 п¬Ѓrst to introduce an authentic Riedel icewine glass to the world. In 1999, Ziraldo enlisted Georg Riedel, the Austrian creator of п¬Ѓne crystal wine glasses, to design the вЂњperfectвЂќ glass for icewine. Ziraldo arranged that the preliminary trials of existing Riedel shapes be done at a tasting with some of the worldвЂ™s most inп¬‚uential wine writers. I was fortunate to be a part of this team. We tasted a variety of icewines in a range of dessert wineglasses and documented our experiences. From this workshop, Riedel created four prototype icewine glasses. Each member of the team received the four prototypes, along with a range of diп¬Ђerent Inniskillin icewines. We were asked to document what we liked best about each glass and why. Using the prototype glasses and their individual characteristics as a guide, we were then asked to draw our own вЂњperfectвЂќ icewine glass on paper. We sent our п¬Ѓndings to Inniskillin Wines. оЂ±e long-stemmed Riedel icewine glass, with a bowl like a just-opening tulip blossom, was launched in 2000. оЂ±e chapter entitled вЂњIcewine with FoodвЂќ is dedicated, in loving memory, to Izabela Kalabis-Sacco. She served as InniskillinвЂ™s resident chef from 1988 to 2006 when, at age 43, she died from breast cancer. A signiп¬Ѓcant portion of this bookвЂ™s proп¬Ѓts goes to a foundation in her name, created by her family. In this chapter, the reader discovers icewine as an ingredient in desserts, as well as an accompanying partner for cheeses, foie gras and a variety of dishes. оЂ±is chapter includes recipes, such as Icewine-Soaked Figs on Hazelnut Crust with White Chocolate Mousse; Icewine Sabayon and Raspberry Coulis (developed by Izabela Kalabis-Sacco); Foie Gras with Granny Smith Apples and Black Currant Reduction; and Bittersweet Chocolate Icewine Truп¬„e Cake. Icewine: Extreme Winemaking is a great book to obtain if you are someone who likes to entertain in style. It is available at bookstores and online. оЂ±e book has also been incorporated into a variety of beauti- .COKPCVGF %CPCFKCP 9KPG 9JGGN &GUKIPGF D[ 5JCTK &CTNKPI 7 ) , * < $ ' , / 2 $ *5($7 + VCZGU KPENWFGF #XCKNCDNG CV YYYUQRJKUVKECVGFYKPQEQO '5JQR QT ECNN november 2007 вЂў issue four ful gift baskets, complete with a bottle of icewine and Riedel icewine glasses. оЂ±e baskets are available directly through Inniskillin Wines (905-468-2187 ext. 2) in Niagara-on-the-Lake and can be delivered to your door. вЂњ Wonderful food, caring service, ambiance that lifts my spirit ... I walk in to a warm welcome and leave with a desire to return.вЂќ вЂ” Kitchener Record Recommended Bottles Inniskillin icewines are available at the LCBO and in Wine Rack Stores. inniskillin VQa Vidal icewine, (lcbo 551085, $54.95) is an icewine with typical vidal п¬‚avours of apricot and honey. Serve with a buttermilk panna cotta with fresh mango and kiwi. inniskillin VQa 2005 oak aged Vidal icewine (lcbo 19083, $79.95) oп¬Ђers a balance of sweetness with acidity. Having spent three months in oak, this wine oп¬Ђers п¬‚avours of caramel and vanilla with dried apricot and honey in the background. Keep desserts simple and not too sweet, such as a simple vanilla custard with a slice of fresh melon. Choose inniskillin VQa 2004 Sparkling icewine (lcbo 560367, $55.05) over the top bubbly if youвЂ™re celebrating New YearвЂ™s Eve in style with a few close friends in dinner-party style. оЂ±is sparkling icewine oп¬Ђers the best of both worlds: eп¬Ђervescence and intense apricot, peach and honey п¬‚avours. Pair with foie gras on canapГ©s at midnight. inniskillin VQa 2004 Riesling icewine (lcbo 558288, $69.95) is produced from the Riesling grape, so you are sure to enjoy more refreshing acidity and fresh peach and honey п¬‚avours. Vanilla ice cream drizzled in maple syrup is the ideal partner. SHARI DARLING is a member of the Wine WritersвЂ™ Circle of Canada, author of books such as Harmony on the Palate: Matching Simple Recipes to Everyday Wine Styles and co-author of The Wine Manual, a resource for sommelier and wine training. She can be reached through her website: www.sophisticatedwino.com. Private Dining Room Available for Christmas Parties Chris & Mary Woolf 519-349-2467 woolfy@woolfys.com Corner of Hwy #7 and Perth Road #118, just outside St. Marys 14 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net issue five вЂў december 2007 SPOTLIGHT Pass da Pasta, Kathy! By Chris McDonell H er passion for Italian cuisine led her into the business. Tellingly, that same passion still fuels Kathy Hundt 13 years later, and is the key to her thriving specialty food shop. Pass da Pasta is tucked into an unassuming house at 127 Albert Street in Stratford. And HundtвЂ™s brainchild (she made her plan while working at Breadworks and bartending at Down the Street) is now a local institution. Stratford residents come all year, and many are on a п¬Ѓrst-name basis with the regular source of their fresh pasta, sauces, paninis and salads. Gourmet cheeses, dips, oils, olives and soups are also available from the small but surprisingly abundant shop. During festival season, locals patiently take their turn with the myriad tourists and actors who also appreciate the quality oп¬Ђerings. With no seating, the transient guests take their Italian soul food back to their B & B or for a picnic down by the river. But with such a plethora of fabulous spots for dining in Stratford, what brings them back time and again to Pass da Pasta? вЂњвЂ�ConsistencyвЂ™ is my favourite word,вЂќ says Hundt, and thereвЂ™s clear evidence of that. A long-time friend, Lindsay Reid, is on staп¬Ђ, with Rynolde Bergman coming in a couple of times a week, but Hundt remains the only person to make the pasta. She closes for the п¬Ѓrst week of January and otherwise is open Tuesday to Friday, 10-6, and Saturdays 10-5ish, but that п¬‚exibility only extends to staying open later, never closing earlier. She follows her own recipes religiously, having patiently developed them early on (her brother is a food scientist) and reп¬Ѓning them to herвЂ”and her customersвЂ™вЂ”complete satisfaction. оЂ±at lengthy process, spending months chang- ing just one ingredient at a time and taking careful note of the small diп¬Ђerences, turned out to be an excellent investment of time. But one could also argue that the real secret to HundtвЂ™s success is her consistent use of quality ingredients. вЂњYou can taste the diп¬Ђerence,вЂќ she states categorically, explaining why she only uses premium Stanislaus canned tomatoes from California in her sauces. Why canned tomatoes? Again, for consistency. Hundt also uses large numbers of farm fresh eggs rather than a cheaper вЂњliquid egg productвЂќ that п¬Ѓnds its way into most commercial pastas. As well, she usually uses 100% semolina п¬‚our, only using some all-purpose п¬‚our if sheвЂ™s intentionally looking for a more elastic pasta. оЂ±e п¬Ѓnal piece of the puzzle comes from the enthusiasm and positive energy that п¬Ѓnds its way into the food. вЂњI love what IвЂ™m doing,вЂќ says Hundt, shrugging oп¬Ђ the long hours. вЂњWeвЂ™re happy here. And if you love what you do, itвЂ™s not hard work.вЂќ CHRIS MCDONELL is the publisher of eatdrink. december 2007 вЂў issue five always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net 15 TRENDSPOTTING whatвЂ™s Hot in Tea? By Martha McAlister W hat is вЂњso hotвЂќ in the tea market that it makes it вЂњcoolвЂќ for celebrities and VIPвЂ™s to be photographed drinking and enjoying it? When Polly was asked in the traditional nursery rhyme вЂњto put the kettle on so that we could all have teaвЂќ she could never have envisioned the evolution that would take place to create this tea revolution. Tea is the second most widely consumed beverage in the world. According to the Canadian Tea Council, in 2006, the tea market in Canada was worth approximately $319 million, with 90% of Canadians drinking seven billion cups per year, a 43% increase compared to 1996. Further evidence of this phenomenal growth is to look at the number of tea houses in Canada. Statistics Canada counted only 500 in 1997, whereas today there are more than 2,500. In terms of innovation, one of the biggest hits of the last year was the blossoming of п¬‚owering teas. оЂ±ese are hand rolled, long leaf tea with a п¬‚ower tucked inside so that when it is infused, it unfurls into a magniп¬Ѓcent п¬‚oral display. If one places it in a clear glass teapot, or even a Flowering teas make a stunning and lively display as the tea вЂњbudвЂќ slowly blossoms. brandy balloon or large wine goblet, this is a spectacular way to complete a dinner party. Most buds that you see are only made with green teas but some of the more prestigious companies have them available in a variety of teas. Also, the better quality ones can be used several times over to produce excellent tea. Naturally, each diп¬Ђerent п¬‚ower that is incorporated into these displays has a diп¬Ђerent health property, thus aп¬Ђording one a double treat that will have you bubbling with delight. If we follow these bubbles, we should naturally try вЂњbubble tea.вЂќ оЂ±is trend started in Taiwan about a decade ago, a successful ploy to tempt rather jaded younger people back to the tea experience. вЂњBoba TeaвЂќ derives its name from the tapioca pearls incorporated into the drink of which there are two typesвЂ” milk or fruit. 16 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net Green Tea has increasing popularity due to lower caп¬Ђeine content and its health-giving properties. issue five вЂў december 2007 оЂ±e former can be made using black or green tea with honey and soy or rice milk. оЂ±e latter can have real fruit pieces purГ©ed or fruit concentrate, with the most popular being mango, lychee and strawberry. оЂ±e biggest novelty with this drink is the вЂњpearlsвЂќ that are sipped through a wide brightly colored straw, somewhat reminiscent of the old barber shop poles. From Asian inп¬‚uences, we move to traditional Indian ones and Chai Tea. ChвЂ™a is the international word for tea, although it may be spelled in diп¬Ђerent ways depending on your home. оЂ±e version that has burst onto the North American scene is a spiced tea milk infusion, generally incorporating cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, pepper and a few secret family variables. For those who have traveled to India, the Chai sellers at the railway stations are a common site. оЂ±e spices create a december 2007 вЂў issue five synergy as well as act on oneвЂ™s digestive system, giving a gentle lift. оЂ±e п¬‚avours have so captured our imagination that Chai Tea has been incorporated into candies, chocolates and cookies. If Chai can be used in cooking, why not other teas? оЂ±e possibilities for creating exciting п¬‚avour twists are almost endless, while also gaining the documented health properties of this beverage. Many chefs are making salad dressings, poaching п¬Ѓsh, and making ice creams and desserts using green and white teas. Tea rubs have been developed, particularly with вЂњLapsang Souchong,вЂќ a Chinese black tea that is the worldвЂ™s only truly smoked tea, so that tea can п¬Ѓnd a welcome place on your barbeque goodies. LetвЂ™s examine several varieties of teas that have burst onto the world stage: Green Tea has been experiencing steadily increasing popularity due to its lower caffeine content and its health giving properties (although all tea has these to varying degrees). If health is one of your goals, then THE eatdrink TEA QUIZ A draw of correct entries will take place on December 27, 2007. The winner will receive a beautiful Numi Bouquet Box, courtesy of LondonвЂ™s EVERYTHING TEA. Mail your entry to: eatdrink, 525 Huron St., London ON N5y 4J6 1. How old is tea? вќ‘ 100 years; вќ‘ 1000 years; вќ‘ 5000 years. 2. What tea is the name of a п¬‚ower? вќ‘ red tulip; вќ‘ red rose; вќ‘ red begonia. 3. What are the three basic types of tea? (Pick 3) вќ‘ black; вќ‘ white; вќ‘ green; вќ‘ oolong; вќ‘ tetley. 4. Herbal teas contain real tea leaves. вќ‘ True; вќ‘ False. 5. According to legend, who discovered tea while visiting a distant region in his realm? вќ‘ Emperor Shen Nong; вќ‘ Ghengis Khan; вќ‘ King Henry VIII. 6. What country п¬Ѓrst introduced tea to Europe? вќ‘ Iceland; вќ‘ Spain; вќ‘ Portugal. 7. Earl Grey was an actual person. вќ‘ True; вќ‘ False. 8. Which hotel is famous for its afternoon tea? вќ‘ Banп¬Ђ Springs; вќ‘ Chateau Laurier; вќ‘ Empress. Name: _________________________________________________________________ Street Address: ____________________________________________________________ City: __________________________________ Postal Code: _______________________ Phone: _____________________ Email Address __________________________________ 18 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net To help navigate the staggering variety available, a good tea shop can oп¬Ђer excellent suggestions for both the neophyte and the connoisseur tea drinker. issue five вЂў december 2007 ent presentation, in that a small amount is drunk after being frothed up with a handheld bamboo whisk. For some, it is an acquired taste, so it is frequently blended with other ingredients. One of the most popular п¬‚avours today is pomegranate, but the richly diverse п¬‚avoured teas and blends are only limited by oneвЂ™s imagination. Although not actually teas (because they do not come from the camellia sinensis plant), Maca and Mate from South America are drunk as teas, as are Rooibos or вЂњRed TeaвЂќ and Honeybush from it follows that White Tea should also be South Africa. Today, the health conscious consumer considered. It is made from the youngest wants a delicious, refreshtop leaves of the tea plant ing and revitalizing beverand is picked in the early age that is also an excellent spring before they are fully value. Tea meets all of these opened. оЂ±e name is requirements. Why not derived from the fuzzy silimmerse yourself in the tea ver and white down or tips experience? on the leaf. It is consequently rarer and more expensive. Sales п¬Ѓgures MARTHA McALISTER was weaned on indicate that demand for tea and classically trained in the UK. An this tea has tripled since inveterate traveller, qualified teacher, 2001. tea consultant and workshop presenter, MatвЂ™cha, or what is othershe has for the last 12 years been cowise known as Japanese вЂњBubbleвЂќ Tea owner of Everything Tea Inc. in Lonceremonial tea, has taken a don, Ontario. turn in the spotlight most recently, again for health reasons. It oп¬Ђers a vastly diп¬Ђer- Experience the World of Tea @ EVERYTHING TEA LondonвЂ™s Premier Tea Merchants Since 1996 353 Talbot Street, London (between King & York) 519-433-9522 Owners Gary and Martha McAlister december 2007 вЂў issue five always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net 19 BOOKS i Swear By My Baking Bible Review by Jennifer Gagel E ver wander over to peer at your hostвЂ™s cookbook shelf? It is the one place where IвЂ™m hoping for a tattered gem, where a cracked or broken spine, with pages bearing the remains of many splatters, means a well-loved book. On my shelf, that would be Baking Illustrated: оЂ‚e Practical Kitchen Companion for the Home Baker (AmericaвЂ™s Test Kitchen, 2004, $49.95) by the editorвЂ™s of Cooks Illustrated Magazine. It is, quite simply, the best baking book I have ever used. оЂ±ere is a great deal of chemistry supporting the art of baking, and no matter how artistic and creative we may be, itвЂ™s all for naught if our muп¬ѓns function better as hockey pucks than snacks, or the cookies crumbled so fast that more ended up in our laps than in our mouths. оЂ±ankfully, the recipe developers have made these mistakes and many more, so we no longer have to. Using clear, precise instructions, they give us 350 recipes we can trust; IвЂ™ve never had one fail. оЂ±e recipes range from breads and muп¬ѓns, cakes and cookies, pies, tarts, and pastries, right through to pizzas, foccacias and other п¬‚atbreads. All the old standards are here, plus variations. оЂ±ey have two distinct recipes for Cornbread, Northern and Southern, along with three variations of the Northern. YouвЂ™ll also п¬Ѓnd classics from other cultures, such as the traditional Italian Crostata Di Marmellata, or Jam Crostata. Whether you require stunning Proп¬Ѓteroles to wow and amaze, or the absolute best brownies for lunchboxes, Baking Illustrated will be the п¬Ѓrst place you turn to. оЂ±ey set out with clear intentions at the beginning of every recipe: вЂњGood banana bread is soft and tender with plenty of banana п¬‚avor and crunchy toasted walnuts. It should be moist and light, something so delicious that you look forward to the bananas on the counter turning soft and mushy.вЂќ оЂ±ey share the results of their tests that went awry, and so teach us about how texture is aп¬Ђected by diп¬Ђerent mixing methods, and the impact of various liquid ingredients. оЂ±ese insights have made me much more adept at judging recipes before I try them, as I have a better understanding of the role of fats or the diп¬Ђerent ways gluten develops. I am also better able to adapt and improve other recipes. Not that youвЂ™ll be ranging far aп¬Ѓeld once you have this book. Every recipe is sure to become the deп¬Ѓnitive version in your houseвЂ”I simply cannot imagine using another Pumpkin Pie recipe, as I would never risk losing the outstanding raves of my guests. оЂ±e DevilвЂ™s Food Cake has been coined velvet cake in my home, because it is so superior to any other devilвЂ™s food cake that it merits its own name. With a rich chocolate taste, the product of using both bakersвЂ™ chocolate and cocoa, its texture is sumptuous crushed velvet, melting on your tongue. I usually pair it with a thin layer of vanilla buttercream, to accentuate the full chocolate п¬‚avour, as they show in one of their many beautiful photographs. Baking Illustrated also has wonderfully illustrated tutorials, shortcuts, and tips on such things as Rolling and Fitting Pie Dough, Baking Multiple Batches of Cookies, and Shaping Pavlovas. High altitude bakers will love the chapter devoted to them and the accompanying troubleshooting chart. And before you go out to buy a new whisk or any other kitchen item, refer- 20 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net issue five вЂў december 2007 ence their section on baking equipment and you are sure to be satisп¬Ѓed with your purchase. Better yet, read why you cannot live without a bench scraper or standing mixer and then add it to your wish list. If you are a baker, you need this book. If someone you know bakes, they need this book. Either way, it should be under many trees this holiday season. JENNIFER GAGEL began her love affair with food at age eight, cooking for a family of food lovers and fickle eaters under the tutelage of her two European grandmothers. She 3 works for the London Public Library, where she scours the cookbook selection to plan her next culinary experiment. Recipes courtesy of Baking Illustrated (AmericaвЂ™s Test Kitchen). DevilвЂ™s Food Cake 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped Вј cup Dutch-processed cocoa 1Вј cups boiling water Вѕ cup unbleached all-purpose flour Вѕ cup plain cake flour 1 tsp baking soda Вј tsp salt 16 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened but cool 1ВЅ cups packed dark brown sugar 3 large eggs, at room temperature ВЅ cup sour cream 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 2 Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions; heat the oven to 350ЛљF. Meanwhile, grease three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper or waxed paper. Combine the chocolate and cocoa in a medium bowl; pour the boiling water over and whisk until smooth. Sift together the flours, baking soda and salt onto a large sheet of parchment or waxed paper; set aside. Beat the butter in the bowl of a standing mixer at medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat at high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer at medium-high speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, beating 30 seconds after each addition. Reduce the speed to medium; add 4 the sour cream and vanilla and beat until combined, about 10 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl. With the mixer at low speed, add about a third of the flour mixture, followed by about half of the chocolate mixture. Repeat, ending with the flour mixture; beat until just combined, about 15 seconds. Do not overbeat. Remove the bowl from the mixer; scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and stir gently to thoroughly combine. Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans and smooth the batter to the edges of each pan with a rubber spatula. Place 2 pans on the lower-middle rack and 1 on the upper-middle rack. Bake the cakes until a toothpick comes out clean, 20-23 minutes. Cool on wire racks 15-20 minutes. Run a knife around each pan perimeter to loosen. Invert each cake onto a large plate; peel off the parchment and reinvent onto a rack. Cool completely. Assemble and frost the cake. Cut into slices and serve. Rich Vanilla Buttercream Frosting 4 large eggs 1 cup sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract pinch of salt 1 lb (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool, each stick cut into quarters 1 2 Combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer; place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. (Do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water.) Whisking gently but constantly, heat the mixture until it is thin and foamy and registers 160Лљ on an instant-read thermometer. Beat the egg mixture at medium-high speed until light, airy and cooled to room temperature (about 5 minutes). Reduce speed to medium and add butter, one piece at a time. Once all the butter is added, increase speed to high and beat 1 minute until light, fluffy and thoroughly combined. a lway s m o re o n l i n e More recipes from Baking Illustrated! december 2007 вЂў issue five always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net 21 The year of eating Dangerously Review by Darin Cook M any people travel as a way to try exotic foods directly from the source. Who couldnвЂ™t argue that Pad оЂ±ai tastes exponentially better from a stall on the streets of оЂ±ailand or that CrГЁme BrГ»lГ©e has a certain je ne sais quoi when eaten in a Parisian bistro? As British food writer Tom Parker Bowles describes in his book оЂ‚e Year of Eating Dangerously: A Global Adventure in Search of Culinary Extremes (St. Martins Press, 2007, $31), sometimes it is best to experience cuisine by delving into food that deп¬Ѓnes the extreme edges of a culture, the type of food that not everyone across cultures would even agree is food. оЂ±e authorвЂ™s early impressions of food are п¬Ѓlled with the cafeteria menu from his British prep school, вЂњinstitutional slop of the lowest form, the sort of bland, unthinking crap that gave British cuisine such a п¬Ѓlthy reputation.вЂќ оЂ±us began his lifelong journey of eating meals of dubious ingredients. His п¬Ѓrst aп¬Ђection for foreign cuisine was a fascination with American fast food, candy, and soft drinks. Lucky for us, he doesnвЂ™t stick with this childish love aп¬Ђair. His adventures cover much more elaborate groundвЂ”from the obligatory cobra bile that every extreme eater tries in Hong Kong; to the ultimate fresh salad in Laos, chasing live river shrimp around the table before munching them; to sucking the black jelly out of the brain of a whole octopus in Sicily. Anecdotes and world cuisine history give Bowles plenty of fodder. Nearly everything in China, if it is prepared and eaten properly, has auspicious side eп¬Ђects: the cobra bile liquor is legendary for increasing male libido and turtle soup symbolizes long life. оЂ±e вЂњmost diп¬ѓcult to readвЂќ part of BowlesвЂ™ travels (for anyone with pets) is when heвЂ™s tracking down dog soup in Seoul, but it is done nonetheless in the name of culinary research. But not all of the travels take Bowles into the world of Fear Factor foods. оЂ±e element of danger reaches new levels when he takes on the physical challenges of schlepping in the Severn River near Gloucester, Britain, with the п¬Ѓshermen who provide the worldвЂ™s supply of elver eels. His trip to Sicily is not dangerous in itself except for the calibre of his dining companions: the Sicilian Maп¬Ѓosi. Although much of the book celebrates culinary artistry around the globe, Bowles is always on the lookout for the extreme. He tries hot sauces that require disclaimers to be signed before the vendor will hand them over, for fear of being sued. Some are stronger than police pepper spray, although the hottest sauces on record are more collectorsвЂ™ items rather than condiments, saved as a reminder of what a tiny chilli can do. In Tennessee, dangerous eating is the quantity he consumes as a judge at оЂ±e Jack DanielвЂ™s Invitational Barbeque Competition. вЂњоЂ±is time I pushed it too far,вЂќ writes Bowles. вЂњIвЂ™d make a wretched competitive eater. My head throbs, my stomach churns and every burp is tinged with peril. My discomfort is all consuming, and I never want to see food, any food, ever again.вЂќ Even days later, Bowles feels вЂњlike an anaconda after a particularly large mammalian dinnerвЂќ and vows вЂњI will never again put my gut through such exacting excess.вЂќ And this is where dangerous eating hits home. Even if we donвЂ™t fancy snake soup or deep-fried bugs, this is the same empty promise we all make after dangerously, but happily, gorging ourselves on a huge holiday dinner. DARIN COOK is a London-based writer and bookseller. He does not eat all that dangerously, but enjoys reading about those who do. 22 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net issue five вЂў december 2007 CHEFS a Roadmap to Success David Chapman at DavidвЂ™s Bistro and Katana Kafe By Melanie North hen I stepped into DavidвЂ™s Bistro Mn: Can you tell me about your apprenon a dull and cloudy autumn ticeship? afternoon, everything changed. I DC: I grew up just outside Belfast and so entered a warm and cozy place, the very I apprenticed п¬Ѓrst in Ireland and deп¬Ѓnition of a bistro. оЂ±e walls are then in England, Bermuda and wrapped in fabulous red paint, tables Canada. I always wanted to be a dressed in black and white checked cloths chef. My Mom stayed at home and and two wingback chairs positioned near cooked and did the baking every the entryway facilitate a comforting welSaturday. We always ate together as come. оЂ±e very genial David Chapman, a family and that showed me how well-known London chef, greeted me. We important food was. My Mom sat at a comfortable table, drank coffee and talked about his career. W Melanie north: How would you describe вЂњwhere youвЂ™re atвЂќ right now? David Chapman: I п¬Ѓrmly believe our business has become a profession and I can say I am a professional. In the last twenty years there has been an explosion of interest in food. оЂ±ere are star chefs now, and the Food Network is incredibly popular. In terms of my own career, a chef really goes through three stages in life. оЂ±e п¬Ѓrst stage is school and your apprenticeship, when you learn the basics. Stage Two establishes your reputation as a chef in your own right. In this stage you work under a great chef or in a great restaurant, generally travel the world. In the third stage, you make a decision to stay in the kitchen or work as an Executive Chef in a big hotel or get out of the kitchen and own your own place. So I am in Stage оЂ±ree. David Chapman has been a fixture in the London dining scene for over 20 years. december 2007 вЂў issue five always had an appreciation of food and I decided I should be a chef. In my apprenticeship I always worked under chefs who could teach me well. оЂ±e cycle is you learn all you can from a chef, and then move on to a new experience with another chef. Mn: And Stage Two? DC: I moved to London in 1980 for a chefвЂ™s job at WiddingtonвЂ™s and then became chef at AnthonyвЂ™s Seafood Bistro, which is now DavidвЂ™s Bistro. As a chef, French Classical was my favourite, although with modern overtones (for example, fewer sauces). It has that regional sense to itвЂ”using local food and simply done. If there are more than п¬Ѓve ingredients, then there are too many. I like the simplicity, the purity of the food. Mn: How did you go about establishing your own reputation? Did you have signature dishes? DC: I have an inventory of recipes, but really there hasnвЂ™t been anything new over the past 100 years. What a chef really does is his own interpretation or adaptation of a traditional DavidвЂ™s Bistro is a warm reflection of the man behind the name. always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net 23 dish. For example, take a Provencal Stew: you can purГ©e or not purГ©e. Over time, you personalize recipes and also perfect them. As a professional, I felt that if everyone else was doing a particular thing or cooking a certain way, I would go out of my way to be diп¬Ђerent, I would have to do something else. I introduced many kinds of п¬Ѓsh to AnthonyвЂ™s Seafood Bistro. I wanted to put my own stamp on it, be the best in town, Chef of the Year. It was important to me to be the best of the best. I also introduced many Ontario wines and that was 20 years ago, when very few [restaurants] were doing that. Another innovation was the вЂњTrust MeвЂќ dinnerвЂ”a kind of precursor to todayвЂ™s popular ChefвЂ™s Tasting. I always wanted to try something diп¬Ђerent, to push the envelope a bit, and itвЂ™s worked well. Mn: Were you inп¬‚uenced by others? DC: I get ideas from books and magazines and the Food Network. I like Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Kennedy вЂ”he seems to really be a cook. And I like Emeril because he has that 24 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net Saffron risotto with prosciutto-wrapped scallops hunched-over look like heвЂ™s REALLY worked. IвЂ™m a big fan of Gary Rhodes too. He is an English chef who takes traditional English dishes and updates them for todayвЂ™s palate. ItвЂ™s about perfecting the food rather than inventing. My biggest inп¬‚uence, I would have to say, was Fred Reindl. He was the Executive Chef at the 1FSTPOBM 4FSWJDF (SFBU 1SJDFT 7JTJU 0VS 4IPXSPPN BU 6OJU $MBSLF 3E -POEPO BU (PSF 3E XXXKVTUnPPSTXBSFIPVTFDPN *UST &LOORS 7AREHOUSE issue five вЂў december 2007 Hyatt Regency in Toronto (now the Four Seasons, Yorkville). He was 6вЂ™4вЂ™вЂ™ with a tall chefвЂ™s hat on top of that, German, and he intimidated everyone. He really taught me business mannerвЂ”to do things more eп¬Ђectively and eп¬ѓciently, not to be satisп¬Ѓed with the status quo. Mn: Why, when your career got to Stage оЂ‚ree, did you make the decision to get out of the kitchen? DC: When the lease was up and AnthonyвЂ™s became available, I decided to try something diп¬Ђerent and I wanted my own name вЂњup in lights.вЂќ It was a whole new experience to give up the kitchen, but I wanted to get out of the вЂњclosedвЂќ kitchen space. I didnвЂ™t want partners because this bistro is a personal statement and I wanted to have absolute control. I hired Patrick Hersey as my chef, whom IвЂ™ve known for 17 years, and I knew the kitchen would be in good hands. For the last 12 years, Elvis Drennan has been the chef here. He did his apprenticeship with me at AnthonyвЂ™s and he is one of the most consistent chefs IвЂ™ve ever known. Other restaurants may be more adventurous, but we are 100% consistent. Mn: What was it like for you to be out front for a change? DC: I was out there, interacting with customers, and servingвЂ”I was scared вЂњs---lessвЂќ. It was unnerving. People were looking for advice, for what to order. I really think that every chef should spend some time out front, just for the experience, and see itвЂ™s clear that every person working in the restaurant is equally important. It came to me as a big shockвЂ”itвЂ™s not all about the food! ItвЂ™s about the total experience. And itвЂ™s much harder to work out front. As a chef, it is hard december 2007 вЂў issue five always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net physically, but in the front of the house it is much more mental as well as physical. Mn: Can you give me an example of one of those early encounters with a customer? DC: Well, my wife, Cindy Kinsella (we met when we both worked at AnthonyвЂ™s) made me go out to a table while I was still chef at AnthonyвЂ™s. It was a table of four from New York City, three women and a man. оЂ±e women were very nice and said the meals were great and the man said that it was the worst steak he had ever had. I said to Cindy, why on earth did you send me out there? I decided to refund the gentlemanвЂ™s meal and left an envelope with the money in it at the Hilton where he was staying. оЂ±ey have been regulars ever since. Every time they are here in London, they come to my restaurant. So sometimes when you stay in the kitchen, you donвЂ™t see the big picture. Mn: How do you view your customers and their experience here? DC: IвЂ™m looking at a long-term relationship, so some things donвЂ™t make sense economically at the time but in the long term it does. For example, I had a customer who I told to try the вЂњskate wings.вЂќ He didnвЂ™t want to, but I persuaded him and said if he didnвЂ™t like it he didnвЂ™t have to pay for it. Well, he loved it and every single time he is in here he orders skate wings. Now that is not something we ordinarily have on the menu these days, but when I know he is coming, I order it from my п¬Ѓsh wholesaler for him. People in London, they are customers for life. Many ask for my advice on what to order, I even give them serving ideas for an event in their own homes. ItвЂ™s a big picture interchange of information and ideas. 25 Classic CrГЁme BrГ»lГ©e MM: And how does your staп¬Ђ п¬Ѓt into the equation? DC: It has to be more than just a job; it has to be a passion. оЂ±e pay is not that great in this business, so I want this to be a place where people can excel, where they want to come every day, not just because itвЂ™s a job. I enable my staп¬Ђ. If thereвЂ™s a problem then deal with it, whatever it GENUINE Traditional Collectible Practical 100% Lead-Free and Made in USA since 1861 679-685 York Street, London 519-432-8323 www.londonglassandmirror.com 26 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net issue five вЂў december 2007 stantly learning from people here, and what great chefs we have. It is so encouraging for me. Ultimately, I want to please the customer, but I want to please the staп¬Ђ too. To see Kelly and Elvis, who both came in originally with no experience, grow and prosperвЂ”itвЂ™s a big part of it, theyвЂ™re like your kids. I think the staп¬Ђ feels the same wayвЂ”theyвЂ™re still here! Even though we may not always agree with each other, we all respect each other. Duck leg confit on rosti potatoes with lingonberry jus Mn: You sound like a very happy and satisп¬Ѓed man. DC: I live to work and my wife Cindy is like that too. She manages a restaurant in Grand Bend, the Lakeview CafГ©, during the summer months and helps out here in the winter. We may not have a lot of time together, but whatever time we do have is a good time. And I have a unique relationship with my daughter Natalie. ItвЂ™s so easy-going, which is great because this is a takes. You donвЂ™t have to go ask someone. We have a small staп¬Ђ here of eight people and they know our customers and give them personal attention, even what table they like to sit at. Mn: Describe your role now. DC: It is the duty of a true professional chef to pass on your knowledge. I have no problems passing on my knowledge and my recipes as well. I now see myself more as a mentor to young people. My own daughter Natalie has worked here at DavidвЂ™s Bistro in the front of the house for the last seven years. She was quite shy in the beginning but has grown tremendously and is now the manager. As a mentor, I facilitate the environment for the staп¬Ђ and for each chef to be and do their own thing. Here, Elvis likes to stay in the kitchen and thatвЂ™s totally п¬Ѓne. I also operate the Katana KafГ© for Diamond Aircraft and my chef out there, Kelly Hamilton, likes to go out to the tables more and that is what suits her. She also did her apprenticeship with me. Even though I have been in the business for forty years, I am con- Recipe courtesy of David Chapman of DavidвЂ™s Bistro Fig and Prosciutto Tart Makes 4 tarts 4 puff pastry circles, 4вЂќ in diameter 4 Tbsp ricotta cheese 4 fresh figs, cut into wedges 4 oz sliced prosciutto, cut in julienne drizzle of olive oil 1 Preheat oven to 400ЛљF. 2 Put one tablespoon of ricotta cheese in the middle of each puff pastry circle. Leave 1вЂќ edge. 3 Fold edge in to make ridge. Place one fig cut into wedges round outside of puff pastry and place prosciutto in middle. 4 Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Serve with watercress salad. december 2007 вЂў issue five stressful business. We think so much alike itвЂ™s unreal. And after work, we often go out together for dinner! ItвЂ™s not work, itвЂ™s a way of life. In addition, can you imagine anything more personal than to feed someone? ItвЂ™s instant gratiп¬Ѓcation. I can take raw ingredients and make something beautiful out of it. WhatвЂ™s not to like? And as for being the owner, we have carved out that ability to do what we want to do and give the customer what they want to have. So many places are just feeding people, but we create an environment and want our customers to say, вЂњI had a great time.вЂќ MELANIE NORTH is a seasoned communications professional with experience in broadcast TV, corporate video, website development, communications strategy, writing and editing. She can't cook, but loves to eat! DavidвЂ™s Bistro 432 Richmond Street, London 519-667-0535 www.davidsbistro.ca lunch: wed-fri, 11:30am-2:30pm dinner: every day, 5-10:30pm Katana KafГ© 2530 Blair Boulevard, London (Diamond Aircraft Centre) 519-455-9005 lunch: every day, 11am-3pm dinner: wed-sun, 5-10pm breakfast: sat & sun, 9am-12 noon a lway s m o re o n l i n e Got a favourite chef or restaurant? Why not put your feelings into words and write a review on our website? This is a new service weвЂ™ve added, with the goal of being a virtual magnet for every kind of food and drink information, in print and online. Go to вЂњRestaurants.вЂќ ItвЂ™s just a click away! gifts that give twice 630 Richmond Street London (519) 433-0977 14 Ontario Street Stratford (519) 272-0977 Fair trade since 1946 www.TenThousandVillages.ca вЂњThe appreciation for quality that Stratford visitors have for theatre extends to what they eat ... A cosmopolitan food scene featuring imagination and craftsmanship has evolved in the area.вЂќ вЂ” Katherine Dowhan, Homemakers l e z t i n h ScHOUSE the Photo courtesy of Bradshaws Stratford is more than great theatre. Outstanding Lunch Buп¬Ђet Tuesday-Sunday 107 Downie Street вЂў Stratford (Next door to the Avon Theatre) 519-275-3266 el nitz SchUNDED PO AILY D Photo: Dave Rees Fresh Homemade Variety of Schnitzels Rouladen вЂў Vegetarian вЂў Seafood SHELDON RUSSELL CHEF/PROPRIETOR time for s Every Friday and Saturday from 9 pm - 12 am at FelliniвЂ™s Savory Spanish- inspired morsels like caponata stuffed calamari and frites with truffle creme fraiche just to name a few. вЂњModern, ever-evolving, flavour-packed cuisine. You will enjoy it.вЂќ Covered outdoor patio 34 Brunswick behind the Avon Theatre Reservations 519 271 5645 www.keystonealley.com Italian ~ Mediterranean ~ Delicious www.fellinisstratford.com 107 Ontario St. downtown Stratford 519.271.3333 Why dine and drive? Great rates and packages are available at our boutique inn. Downtown Stratford, right across from FelliniвЂ™s. 104 Ontario St. 1.888.816.4011 Appetizing suites Upstairs at the Cafe Reservations 519 271 5645 www.mercerhallinn.com вЂњI made a delicious discovery: Stratford has a culinary obsession. And, for me, finding what I call a вЂ™food townвЂ™ is a rare and magnificent thing ... YouвЂ™ve got a place that feeds all the senses. From spring to fall, Stratford is alive with theatre productions and string quartets. In winter, chefs hone their talents in local restaurants. I savour StratfordвЂ™s every delectable moment.вЂќ вЂ” Marion Kane, Food Writer (Dish: Memories, Recipes and Delicious Bites) www.marionkane.com WWW.FOSTERSINN.COM 111 D o w n i e S t r e e t , S T R AT F O R D 1- 8 8 8 - 7 2 8 - 5 5 5 5 Just steps away from Theatre CafГ© Ten Our food, coffee and dessert menu is based on fresh ideas incorporating todayвЂ™s culinary trends. We offer quick friendly service with knowledgeable staff. Our objective is to serve flavourful, fresh, colourful dishes at affordable prices. Sunday & Monday: 8:00 am вЂ“ 6:00 pm Tuesday to Saturday: 8:00 am вЂ“ 9:00 pm www.wightman.ca~cafГ©.ten 10 Downie Street, Stratford (519) 508-2233 Photo courtesy of Visit Stratford Food~Coffee~Dessert 9HJHWDULDQ 5HVWDXUDQW &OKPZ UBTUZ WFHBO EJTIFT IPNFNBEF CBLFE HPPET TPVQT TBMBET TBOEXJDIFT GSFTI TRVFF[FE KVJDFT BOE NVDI NPSF &BU *O PS 5BLF 0VU /08 -*$&/4&% 1RZ WDNLQJ RU GH IRU WRIX WXUN UV H\V IHVWLYH SLHV DQG DQ\ RWKH U YHJDQ HQWUHH V RU GHVVHUWV WR FRPSOHWH \R KROLGD\ FHOHEU XU DWLRQ &SJF 4USFFU 4USBUGPSE 'MPSJOF7FHPVU!HNBJMDPN 32 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net issue five вЂў december 2007 EATDRINKBUZZ new and notable By Bryan Lavery Buzz [buhz], noun. 1. A feeling of calm, usually happy intoxication. 2. a particularly strong kind of word of mouth. F or me, the holiday season is as much about the planning and rituals involved in preparing for Christmas Day, as it is about the celebration itself. In my family, we have many traditions that revolve around friendship, comfort hospitality and food. In recent years, many of our family traditions have been scaled back due to busy lives. When I was a child, we always had a turkey dinner on Christmas Day. Fortunately turkey is no longer the compulsory Christmas dinner. Several years ago, while writing my food column in the London Free Press, I mentioned that our mother used to take delight while thawing the requisite turkey by chasing my brothers and me around the living room with the frozen turkey neck. оЂ±is was usually timed to coincide with our annual rewatching of вЂњScrooge,вЂќ the 1951 п¬Ѓlm version of Charles DickensвЂ™ A Christmas Carol. My mother was mortiп¬Ѓed by my retelling of this harmless prank; several readers wrote to say they were appalled. Viewed in these days and times and by current standards, that story might seem more eccentric and bourgeois than it actually was, but it reminds me how much more playful, joyful and simple life used to be. How we eat, what we eat and where we eat can often be linked to particular points in time. And few things continue to rouse a A t the top of the most recommended restaurants in London, MichaelвЂ™s on the Thames (established 1983) has remained a popular success for its cuisine, unmatched superb service and п¬Ѓne dining at an aп¬Ђordable price. LondonвЂ™s renowned Maitre dвЂ™Extraordinaire Jack DiCarlo and the staп¬Ђ make your dining experience a memorable one. Whether for business or private functions, the menu will please every palate. A welcoming atmosphere is enhanced with music from the grand piano six nights a week. Take the time to enjoy superb cuisine, tableside cooking, п¬Ѓne wine and the company of friends. Call Us Now to Book Your Christmas Party or New YearвЂ™s Eve Celebrations Monday to Friday 11am-11pm Saturday and Sunday 5pm-11pm Gift Certificates Make the Perfect Gift 1 York Street вЂў Free Parking Dine with us before events at the John Labatt Centre Reservations are suggested. Call 519-672-0111 вЂў www.michaelsonthethames.com december 2007 вЂў issue five distant memory as easily as food. Today, what we eat, where we eat and where we shop have all become statements about our health, our politics and our social consciousness. It has been a long held opinion of mine that the food media are necessary members of the culinary community. Many members of the restaurant community have told me that this publication has a signiп¬Ѓcant inп¬‚uence with the dining public. Like any thoughtful patron, I hope that I bring appreciation and sensibility to the table. But the food mediaвЂ™s mission goes beyond that. оЂ±ey must pass their unbiased impressions on to the readers while alerting the dining public to the diversity of choice on the dining scene. Good food writing furnishes you with enough information and insight to help you make informed decisions, while helping to arbitrate the standards of dining out. If you donвЂ™t have a good, strong food mediaвЂ”whether you love them or loathe themвЂ” you donвЂ™t have always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net 33 the same degree of interest and enthusiasm. Joanne Buckley, a former London Free Press restaurant reviewer, once told me, вЂњOne of the best things ascribed to writing a column about the culinary scene is discovering the unexpected jewel or the diamond in the rough.вЂќ In my opinion, one of the worst things about writing a column about the culinary scene is discovering restaurants that donвЂ™t live up to their reputation on a consistent basis. Writing about restaurants brings unique challenges. Sometimes the food may be excellent, with the perfect calibration of п¬‚avours, but the service mediocre. Other times the service is top-notch but the food anemic and undistinguished. A glowing article about a restaurant can set expectations so high that they may be diп¬ѓcult to maintain on a daily basis. Conversely, reading someone elseвЂ™s assessment of a restaurant is not necessarily enough for every reader to evaluate a restaurant. It is a plain and simple fact that no food writer, or patron for that matter, is going to like or The Fire Roasted Coп¬Ђee Company Roasting over 50 types of regional coп¬Ђee, oп¬Ђered by п¬Ѓne retailers and restaurants in London and area. Visit us at: The London Farmers Market, Western Fair, Saturdays 7-3 & Our new Roastery Art Studio at 3392 Wonderland Rd, Bldg 7, Unit 6: Tuesday-Friday 12-7; Sunday 11-4 www.п¬Ѓreroastedcoп¬Ђee.com 519-639-4963 вЂњthe ultimate experience in п¬Ѓne diningвЂќ LUNCH Tues to Fri 11amвЂ“2pm DINNER Tues to Sat 5:30pmвЂ“10pm SUNDAY BRUNCH 11amвЂ“2pm Closed Monday 1269 Hyde Park Road, London Reserve for Your 519 472 6801 Christmas Party Now www.volkers.ca Chef Volker Jendhoп¬Ђ 34 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net appreciate every style of cuisine or restaurant. But bad food or bad service is a fact of dining out. Sometimes going out for dinner feels like a game of Russian roulette and almost induces hibernation. Because of the power of the press in reporting culinary matters and inп¬‚uencing standards in the industry, chefs and restaurateurs often feel hostage to the food media. Writing about restaurants is a doubleвЂ“edged sword. My comments in this column are meant to characterize restaurants, not compare them to another place with a totally diп¬Ђerent philosophy or mission. Among the most important powers attributed to restaurant writers is the ability to generate excitement about restaurant dining in general. I remember clearly when restaurant writers seemed to be less objective and more cloak-and-dagger. When the London Free Press employed a full-time restaurant reviewer, there were many in the hospitality industry that fantasized about there being a reviewer for the food reviewer. It вЂњ We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are. issue five вЂў december 2007 would seem that the reviewerвЂ™s model may be lifted right from John LancasterвЂ™s culinary book, Debt to Pleasure: вЂњIf the chefвЂ™s mother dies there will be no tears in the bГ©arnaise.вЂќ As a chef, I can tell you that that these words ring a lot truer for many in the hospitality industry than you might believe possible. As they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Denizens of diners, lunch counters, grills and snack bars enjoy a camaraderie that is denied to the devotees of п¬Ѓne dining. To dismiss this genre of eateries is to deprive yourself of a world of Formica counters, vinyl covered banquettes, laminated menus and short order cooking. LondonвЂ™s once thriving вЂњcounter cultureвЂќ continues to disappear, yet a few п¬Ѓne examples of this restaurant style have managed to survive. оЂ±e High Lunch remains the genuine article, with its counters, bar stools, open grill and good food. At the helm, Pat Spigos is a formidable cook and the model of generosity and hospitality. Pat trГј restaurant вЂќ Free Parking Every Day 45 King St. London, Ontario 519-672-4333 www.trurestaurant.ca always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net december 2007 вЂў issue five is well known for her charitable initiatives, among them serving Christmas dinner to people in need in our community. оЂ±e High Lunch continues to be a London institution and the preferred weekend latenight destination for many in the know, especially those in the restaurant business who appreciate a place with personality. I suggest leaving your attitude at home because Pat, like her late husband George Spigos, is a one-person show and does not have the time or inclination to suп¬Ђer fools. Despite the sign that suggests they are open 24 hours each day, Pat keeps regular but quirky hours that reп¬‚ect the busy times for the restaurant (and because sheвЂ™s the one woman who makes it all happen). оЂ±e casual diner food of the High Lunch remains a treat in these days and times. Carrying on the family business, PatвЂ™s children Betsy and Bill operate the very popular Prince albertвЂ™s Diner on Richmond Street, a trendy late-night eatery that caters to the Richmond Row clientele. 35 Speaking of Richmond Row, Coп¬Ђee Culture just opened their doors and are doing a brisk business. оЂ±is upscale coп¬Ђee shop features a wide variety of sandwiches, baked goods, coп¬Ђees and specialty teas. Another Coп¬Ђee Culture location will be opening on Dundas Street in the old Swiss Chalet building, just next door to Jonathon, a sophisticated downtown ceramic and art gallery. Heading west to 129 Dundas Street, Martinis and Manicures owner Martin younan just announced an expanded menu starting in the New Year. оЂ±is trendy shop oп¬Ђers esthetics services in a lounge atmosphere, picking up on a popular and growing trend in major cities across North America. Another notable Richmond Street eatery is the popular Toddle inn. It was refurbished several years ago but remains a well-loved destination by many Londoners. A bit further south on Richmond, Mike 8JL8C ,K<8B?FLJ< 8K 8E ==FI;89C< )I@:< (SFBU 4UFBLT 3JCT 4FBGPPE $IJDLFO BOE 5IF #FTU 1SJNF 3JC JO 5PXO #SFBLGBTU Кі -VODI Кі %JOOFS Кі 5BLF0VU Кі ,JET .FOV .PO5IVST BNQN 'SJEBZ BNQN 4BUVSEBZ BNQN 4VOEBZ BNQN XXXUJNCFSTDIPQIPVTFDB 8FMMJOHUPO 3E 4 +VTU 4PVUI PG 4PVUIEBMF 3FTFSWBUJPOT 8FMDPNF Great Food. Great Prices. Famous for Our вЂњBuild-Your-OwnвЂќ Burgers Kim &Mike 145 King St., London (across from the market) 519-438-7281 36 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net inwoodвЂ™s one-of-a-kind, owner-operated CafГ© one Fresh Food eateries continues to delight customers with their signature pad оЂ±ai dish, as well as many new favourites. CafГ© One continues to be the hot spot on Richmond Row. Richmond Row pioneer Mike Smith, proprietor of a number of London bars and restaurants including Joe KoolвЂ™s, Jim Bob RayвЂ™s, Fellini KooliniвЂ™s, оЂ±e Runt Club, вЂњThe hip, cosmopolitan bistro in the heart of DowntownвЂќ TheBraywick Bistro issue five вЂў december 2007 and Chancey SmithвЂ™s (MikeвЂ™s foray into the heart of downtown London), was recently honored by the London Downtown Business association and MainStreet London as one of a select group of вЂњDowntown Champions.вЂќ оЂ±is annual award is given to only a few individuals who have made signiп¬Ѓcant contributions to downtown revitalization. Mike has been a respected advisor and member of the downtown business community for many years, and the Downtown Champion award was given in gratitude for everything he has done to help improve downtown London. Several members of MikeвЂ™s management team were on hand to congratulate Mike and celebrate his achievements. People in the restaurant business are п¬Ѓrmly behind the ambassador London Program. оЂ±is is a grassroots, volunteerbased initiative whose goal is to spread the message about a great community. London Mansion will soon open downtown, a major renovation at 89 King Street across from the John Labatt Centre. A group of owners from both London and Toronto are involved in the project, overseeing major renovations to both the interior and exterior of this high-proп¬Ѓle property. Word on the street suggests this same group of owners also has plans for a steak house in the building next door, formerly occupied by a design and retail business. WELCOME Chef Paul Rousom 244 Dundas St., London 519-645-6524 www.braywickbistro.ca King Street continues to be a space to watch for unique hospitality experiences downtown, building on the foundation вЂњAn oasis for food lovers ...вЂќ LUNCH Wed to Fri 11:30-2:30 DINNER from 5pm daily 432 Richmond Street at Carling вЂў London 519 667 0535 www.davidsbistro.ca FREE PARKING AFTER 6 PM OFF QUEENS AVENUE december 2007 вЂў issue five established by mainstays like La Casa, waldoвЂ™s Bistro and wine Bar, Chancey SmithвЂ™s, TrГј, Market Grill, PattyвЂ™s on King and more recent additions like оЂ±e Red Goat, Mint and оЂ±e only on King. With close proximity to the JLC, this trend is expected to continue for some time, as entrepreneurs continue to see opportunities to expand the local appetite for food and entertainment in the core. I was recently treated to dinner at La Casa by a fellow chef, and had the opportunity to sample Chef Bob MurphyвЂ™s tasting menu. оЂ±e New Zealand shank of lamb I had for my main course was pure comfort food, braised to perfection and falling oп¬Ђ the bone, as it is supposed to. It was deliciously accompanied by a п¬‚avourful jus and a gallimaufry of seasonal root vegetables. No mention of King Street would be complete without paying homage to Jill wilcox at JillвЂ™s Table. Jill continues to supply many local gourmets, foodies and local chefs with an exquisite variety of culinary products and equipment in her superbly merchandised emporium. New YearвЂ™s Eve is the night that top chefs and restaurateurs have the opportunity to show oп¬Ђ their culinary chops. A night as momentous as this one is an opportunity to pull out all the stops. Although it may seem early, most restaurants are already accepting reservations for New YearвЂ™s Eve and many oп¬Ђer specialty menus and two seatings to accommodate their guests. I was speaking with master marketer ian Greasley of Bloomers at the Market, and the best food news he could come up with was dinner at their house was so good the other night that he asked his partner Jackie noble for a second helping. Noble is a well-respected local photographer, known in the food and publication worlds for her stunning food photography. [See her photos on this issueвЂ™s cover and in the David Chapman proп¬Ѓle. вЂ”Ed.] оЂ±e Black walnut Bakery CafГ© has issue five вЂў december 2007 recently opened in Wortley Village. Proprietors Roy Cook and Michelle Lenhardt pulled up stakes in Toronto to make a better life for their family here in London. Lenhardt was the former pastry chef at the art Gallery of ontario. She bakes everything from scratch, except the croissants that are imported from France and proofed and п¬Ѓnished at the bakery. I was there on opening day and by closing time they were almost sold out. What my guests and I sampled were top-notch classics from a professional pastry chef вЂ™s repertoire. оЂ±e п¬‚ourless chocolate cake and the lemon curd tart were standouts. /81&+ 7XHV)UL SP ',11(5 0RQ6XQ SP 5LFKPRQG 6WUHHW /RQGRQ 2QWDULR ZZZEOXHJLQJHURQFD /RQGRQВ¶V RQO\ )RXU 'LDPRQG $$$&$$ UHFLSLHQW Speaking of new bakeries, nova era is another hot-spot, especially with LondonвЂ™s Portuguese community. London jazz songstress and local epicurean Gina Farrugia asked me to keep this place a secret because she loves the quiet relaxing atmosphere and delicious coffee. If you are looking for classic Portuguese baking, this is the place. Sorry Gina, everyone deserves the opportunity to sample their delicious custard tarts. Nova Era is one of LondonвЂ™s best kept secrets and is located in a strip mall at Florence and Egerton. Many people were sad to see the departure of Mexacali RosaвЂ™s, which underscores the challenging nature of the hospitality business. оЂ±e patio at Mexacali RosaвЂ™s was a cool and welcoming oasis in the heart of the city. Carlitos has opened recently at the corner of Adelaide St. and Commissioners Road. Proprietor/Executive Chef Carlos Sotelo, formerly a co-owner of Tiger Jacks, his wife Gabriele and daughters Jennifer and Michelle have opened a restaurant in the space formerly home to LennyвЂ™s Pizza (now at Wellington and Grand). Catering to the business lunch crowd and families, they're open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with a Sunday brunch. оЂ±ose familiar with TorontoвЂ™s upscale casual dining scene will welcome the arrival of Milestones Grill and Bar at Masonville Place on December 3rd. Full always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net december 2007 вЂў issue five hours begin December 10th. 39 goods, specialty teas, cider, cheese and meat pies, will be held on Saturdays, A new addition broadening the Stratford December 1 and 8 at Festival Square, 10 restaurant scene, Pearl Sushi is a Japanese Downie Street. restaurant on Downie Street formerly occupied by Globe restaurant. Owner and оЂ±e end of one year and the beginning of Sushi Chef Bud Park brings 20 years of another is a good time to reassess the role experience in Toronto and states he is of food trends as an indicator of the popucommitted to oп¬Ђering high-quality fresh lar culture. оЂ±e last few years will always п¬Ѓsh regularly п¬‚own in from Japan and Van- be remembered as the time that cemented couver. Open Monday-Sunday, there are the trend to eating locally and seasonally. always lunch specials, including a chang- It is also a time of unprecedented growth ing ChefвЂ™s Special served in a bento box. вЂњVineArt 2007...size matters 8вЂќ should prove to be another lively fundraiser for StratfordвЂ™s co-op Gallery 96. On Saturday, December 8 at 7pm, the annual вЂњWine and Visual Arts BashвЂќ oп¬Ђers a selection of п¬Ѓne wines paired with foods donated by some of StratfordвЂ™s best restaurants. A silent auction and art sale, of course, rounds out the evening. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. оЂ±e only on King 172 King Street вЂў London 519.936.2064 www.theonlyonking.ca Reservations Recommended Stratford Chefs School has special menus for Christmas dinners December 7 and 14, as well as Christmas lunches December 14 and 21. Special dinners are prepared and served at оЂ±e Screaming avocado, the alternate cafeteria at northwestern Secondary School in Stratford, under the direction of Paul Finkelstein. YouвЂ™ve seen them on Food TV this fall (program title is вЂњFinkвЂќ), now you can taste the results of the culinary clubвЂ™s eп¬Ђorts. оЂ±e next one is coming up on December 5. Call now to reserve for your Christmas Party or our New YearвЂ™s Eve Dinner. Open for lunches from December 3-21, Monday-Friday, Noon- 2pm. Another reminder that the Stratford Christmas Food Hall, featuring baked Relaxed and Elegant Fine Dining Wilberforce Inn 161 Main Street, Lucan Only 20 minutes North of London, straight out Richmond Street 519-227-0491 www.wilberforceinn.com Lunch and Dinner Tues to Sat, 11:30am to (Last Seating) 8:30pm Proprietors Tony & Irene Demas issue five вЂў december 2007 /RGANIC /UTSTANDING /RIGINAL 4HATS WHAT THE / STANDS FOR AND /ZONE IS THE PLACE TO FIND IT )TS THE WAY FAST FOOD SHOULD BE n WITHOUT ADDITIVES HORMONES OR PESTICIDES *UST YOU THE FOOD AND GREAT TASTE .OTHING ELSE 2EAL &OOD &AST &ANSHAWE 0ARK 2D 7 ,ONDON /. .' ! !T THE CORNER OF (YDE 0ARK 2OAD AND (IGHWAY 2IGHT BEHIND 3TARBUCKS in the number of people eating healthier and more nutritional food, including organic and vegetarian. One of the most notable practitioners of this trend in London is the always innovative оЂ±e only on King, which I think is the most interesting new restaurant of the year. Chef/Proprietors Paul Harding and Jason Schubert have been joined in the kitchen by adam Vaughn and Matt Lee. оЂ±e concise daily menus feature the best of what is available locally. Fans of the оЂ±e Only on King will be happy to hear they will be serving lunch in the month of December. оЂ±ey are also now selling the documentary вЂњTableland,вЂќ a culinary expedition in search of the people, place and tastes of North American small-scale, sustainable food production. оЂ±is documentary features antony John (оЂ±e Manic Organic) as well as noted Chef Michael Stadtlander of eigensinn Farm. оЂ±e cost for the documentary is $25. Another notable newcomer is John Moscarella, with his on the Fork Restau- вЂњExquisite Artistic Elegant CateringвЂќ A personalized approach to Weddings, Dinner Parties, Corporate Events, etc. KatafnГ©a Ka вЂњA little out of the way, A lot out of the ordinary!вЂќ 519-455-9005 Lunch 11 to 3 (7 days a week) Dinner 5 to 10 (Wed to Sun) Breakfast 9 to 12 (Sat & Sun) 2530 Blair Rd, London Diamond Flight Centre december 2007 вЂў issue five rant & Lounge, driven by Chef Kent Van Dyk and Pastry and Sous Chef Stefanie Bishop. оЂ±e menu features a variety of small dishes and provocative п¬‚avour combinations. Brunch at On the Fork is a delightful way to spend a relaxing Sunday in comfortable surroundings. always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net 41 Fairgrounds. ItвЂ™s a great opportunity to sample п¬Ѓne cuisine, specialty wines and beers and watch appearances by high proп¬Ѓle guest chefs. DonвЂ™t forget to be part of creating the buzz. Email interesting local culinary news to : editor@eatdrinkmag.net Looking ahead to 2008, visit the eatdrink booth at the 3rd annual London wine and BRYAN LAVERY is a writer, well-known local chef, former Food Show, January 18-20 at western restaurateur and culinary instructor. Jambalaya isJump-upWorldCuisine вЂ” From MILD to WILD Vegan Selections available 646 Richmond Street, London 519-858-2000 www.jambalayarestaurant.com WIN AN eatdrink WEEKEND Winter Weekend Getaway for 2 Sign up for your free digital subscription and you could win a fabulous in beautiful Stratford. Go to eatdrinkmag.netв„ў for more information. Employees of eatdrink and the sponsoring businesses, and their family members, are prohibited from winning this prize. Should they be randomly selected, another name will be drawn. The weekend booking is subject to availability, is based on double occupancy and must be redeemed before April 2008. The Winning Package for 2 includes 2 Nights Accommodation at Mercer Hall Inn + 2 Breakfasts at Tango CafГ© + Friday Night Dinner at FelliniвЂ™s + Saturday Night Dinner at The Keystone Alley A random draw of subscribers will be held on January 24, 2008. This prize has a suggested retail value of approximately $60o (alcohol is not included) but has no cash value. 42 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net issue five вЂў december 2007 BEER winter warmers for the Holidays By The Malt Monk tion diп¬Ђerently with these beers, PlEASE NOTE: A shorter version of this column appeared in print. sipping slowly, ideally from a thin-stemmed Brandy snifterrrrrrrrвЂ¦ Just п¬Ѓnished cleaning out styled glass. оЂ±is induces a warming of the the eavestroughs and raking the last ale to bring up its complex aromas and of the wet leaves as I fend oп¬Ђ tastes, just like a good brandy or the п¬Ѓrst sleet and chill of early winmadeira. Before I get п¬‚amed by Cognac ter. Time to get back inside, spark up aп¬Ѓcionados and oenophiles for comthe wood stove and rummage about paring brewed malt beverages to their in my beer cellar for a winter favourite liquors and fortiп¬Ѓed wines, warmer. Having come up with a allow me to state that I have talked to three-year-old barley wine called many craft brewers who were also вЂњOlde DeuteronomyвЂќ to sip on this involved in the wine and liquor indusevening in front of the п¬Ѓre, I realtry, and they claim that making these ized I better get cracking to styles of beers is most challenging, replenish my вЂњwinter warmersвЂќ requiring a higher skill level, care which were critically depleted by and attention by the artisan to prolast yearвЂ™s chill. duce a good end product. By the time this edition of eatоЂ±e best of these fortiп¬Ѓed beers drink goes to press, the seaare made to be laid down and sonal winter ales and beers will cellared like a young wine or be out. оЂ±is is the time of the sherry so that the п¬‚avour develyear we want to stock up on the ops, gains complexity and really substantial ales and rounds-out in the ageing beers, known for their warmprocess. I have many bottles of ing, satisfying eп¬Ђects and for barley wines, Imperial ales and their ability to be laid away to Belgian doubles and triples that mature like a п¬Ѓne wine. IвЂ™m are over п¬Ѓve years old in my litreferring to Vintage Ales, Olde tle stash. оЂ±ey display a deeper Ales, British strong ales, Barley complexity and far better drinkwines, Belgian strong ales ability with a year or so on them (doubles and triples), Eisthan they do new. Find a dark bocks, Doppel Bocks and place to keep them at 46-50ЛљF Imperial stouts. As well, we will and you are on your way to colsee a lot of seasonal spiced ales, lecting world class vintage good for serving with holiday strong ales. So hereвЂ™s a new condinners or as party warmers. cept for many beer drinkers: a Before we discuss styles and beer вЂњcellarвЂќ in which to stock character, it bears mentioning up on rare and good fortiп¬Ѓed that we donвЂ™t treat these beers beers. with the same casual familiarSpeaking of вЂњstocking your beer ity we do quaп¬ѓng beers like Pilcellar,вЂќ we are in luck here this sner or Pale Ale. оЂ±ese beers are season as the LCBO has done an the malt equivalent of fortiп¬Ѓed wines, with excellent job of shopping the globe for an alcohol by volume ranging from 6.2% to some of the better strong ales. While the over 12%. We have to gauge our consump- variety could be richer, for the limited pri- B december 2007 вЂў issue five always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net 43 ority the LCBO aп¬Ђords world class beers, it is tion, agitate the bottle sedement and put a pretty good selection, at reasonable prices. the lees in the glass. оЂ±is is a matter of preference whenever you encounter an unп¬Ѓltered Serving beer, although most are п¬ЃlSuggestions tered these days. оЂ±ese stronger beers need a glass that will aп¬Ђord gentle warming (as they taste Food Pairings better as they warm) and As a rule of thumb, the big with an opening that proales are meant to be motes the ability to smell savoured by themselves , the brew as it warms just with perhaps some cheese before you take a sip. Traor rich holiday cake and a ditionally, there have been good cigar. Generally, the smaller stemmed dark strong ales are fruity вЂњsniftersвЂќ used for strong and sweet and are best as beer sampling, as well as aperitifs or with dessert. the вЂњtulipвЂќ glass and even оЂ±e lighter strong ales are large over-sized вЂњchaliceвЂќ spicy and dryer and serve wine glasses. оЂ±e Belgian well with roast turkey or strong ale makers as well as some Trappist ham dinners. German Dopplebock and brewers recommend the chalice. оЂ±e style of Eisbock serve well with the traditional glassware used for the type of beer con- German вЂњwurstвЂќ meals or with chocolate sumed is almost as important as the temper- desserts. Imperial stout goes well with ature you serve it at. оЂ±ere are some LCBO shellп¬Ѓsh and the Olde English ales go well gift packs from the Belgian brewers which with a variety of sturdy nutty cheeses. include some of these glasses. An excellent Many English and Belgian strong ales that beer glassware primer is one online at: beer- are bottle conditioned or unп¬Ѓltered tend to advocate.com/beer/ 101/ glassware. really compliment pork dinners and dark Big ales like these are best served at вЂњcel- Belgian strong ales go well with beef or lar temperatureвЂќ or about 54-57ЛљF, with wild game. Imperial stout, Eisbock, Doppel bock, Barley wine and Belgian triples being allowed оЂ±e вЂњStrong BeersвЂќ to warm to 60ЛљF in the glass for optimum оЂ±ere are sub-styles here: вЂњVintage Ales,вЂќ п¬‚avour and aroma diп¬Ђusion. If the beer вЂњOlde AlesвЂќ and вЂњBarley wine.вЂќ Olde Ale contains lees (unп¬Ѓltered sediment), you and Vintage Ale is a tad less potent and can either gently pour the settled top and emphatic than Barley wine. English Olde leave the sediment in the last portion of the and vintage Strong Ale is still a rich and bottle to avoid it, or pour a small clear por- complex beer. Many are unп¬Ѓltered and 9>HIG>7JIDGHD;DK:G'%A>C:HD;7:K:G6<:H > cX a jY^ c\/ <JGJ! MA! H=6G@! 76H: 6C9 HL> C< ? J> 8: 86AA JH ID96N/ *&. +)'" ''%% 44 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net bottle conditioned. оЂ±e colour tends to land somewhere between amber and reddish copper to dark brown. оЂ±ey usually have a bold fruity ester and malty nose and п¬‚avour. Vintage ales are generally strong ales a brewer oп¬Ђers once a year, suitable for cellaring. Olde ale is stronger ale that has seen some maturation with the brewer before release. Aromas are sweet and malty with dark fruity esters, often with a complex blend of dried-fruit, vinous, caramelly, molasses, nutty, toп¬Ђee, treacle aromas. Some oxidative notes are sometimes present, akin to those found in Sherry or Port. Flavours are luscious malt complexity, often with nutty, caramelly and/or molasses-like п¬‚avours. Some great examples available at the LCBO are: FullerвЂ™s 1845 (lcbo 504670) A world class strong ale; FullerвЂ™s Vintage ale (lcbo 676213) A sought-after imported vintage strong ale; Great Lakes winter ale (lcbo 52019) A wonderfully well balanced spiced strong ale from Ontario; St. ambroise Vintage ale from a Quebec brewer, an excellent vintage strong ale; Harviestoun old engine oil (lcbo 54304) A highly rated English Olde Ale; St. PeterвЂ™s winter ale (lcbo 890079) Another highly sought after UK Olde ale; Black Sheep Riggwelter Strong yorkshire ale (lcbo 890871); Brakspear Triple (lcbo 615351); Samuel SmithвЂ™s winter welcome ale (lcbo 408005) A spiced strong ale for Christmas; wychwood Bah Humbug Christmas ale issue five вЂў december 2007 (lcbo 3822) A Cinnamon-spiced strong ale. Barley wine Barley wine is Olde aleвЂ™s big brother. Contrary to what its name suggests, Barley wine is very much a beer, a very strong and often penetrating beer. Usually the strongest ale oп¬Ђered by a brewery, many brewers vintage-date it. Barley wine is often aged considerably prior to release but, with the stronger examples, a few years in your cellar will add a lot to its complexity. оЂ±e aroma should have a rich character with many layered tones including bready, toasty, toп¬Ђee, molasses, and/or dark treacle notes. Aged versions may have a sherry-like quality and likely some vinous or port-like aromatics. Flavour is pronounced, intense, complex, multi-layered. Malt п¬‚avours range from bready and biscuity through nutty, deeply toasted, dark caramel, toп¬Ђee, and/or molasses. Moderate malt sweetness on the palate, although the п¬Ѓnish can be moderately sweet to moderately dry (dependant upon age). Some Barley wines available in the local market this month include: оЂ±omas HardyвЂ™s ale 07 (lcbo tba) Scarce, subtle and complex, оЂ±omas HardyвЂ™s Ale is the beer enthusiastвЂ™s equivalent of rare cognac. Millstreet Barley wine is available at the brewery store only but we look forward to this local micro brewerвЂ™s winter oп¬Ђering. For those of you who can get state side to a speciality beer store, here is a short list of the most sought after UK and US micro Barley wines: Brooklyn Monster ale by Brooklyn Brewing; youngвЂ™s old nick Barley ВєГ•ГЊВ…iВ�ГЊВ€V ГЂВ€ГЊВ€ГѓВ… В«Г•L] iГќViВЏВЏiВ�ГЊ vВњВњ`] }ГЂi>ГЊ >ГЊВ“ВњГѓВ«В…iГЂi ГњВ€ГЊВ… ГЊВ…i >ГЂi>ВЅГѓ ВњВ�ВЏГћ V>ГѓВЋВ‡VВњВ�`В€ГЊВ€ВњВ�i` ГЂi>ВЏВ‡>ВЏiВ° В�ГѓВ«В€ГЂВ€В�} ГњВ€В�i E LiiГЂ ГѓiВЏiVГЊВ€ВњВ�Гѓ] >ВЏВЏ ГѓiГЊ В€В� > ВЈГ¤Г¤В‡Гћi>ГЂВ‡ВњВЏ` LГ•В€ВЏ`В€В�}В° ГЊВїГѓ ГњВњГЂГЊВ… ГЊВ…i ГѓВ…ВњГЂГЊ `ГЂВ€Г›iВ°В» $Y<S6 G :A $L/W A 1* .I,N 5K R $ A 3 P ( E 5E( m W t X F)R u LQ eHsV Pin -XsVtW 10 oRnQdGoRnQ Ju / L I f oR 1 N always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net december 2007 вЂў issue five 45 wine ale; оЂ±ree FloydsвЂ™ Behemoth Barley- being cloying, but should have an impreswine; aleSmith old numbskull; Hair of sion of mellow rounded richness supthe Dog BrewingвЂ™s вЂњFredвЂќ Barleywine. ported by a huge toasted malt presense. Eisbocks are concentrated doppelbocks, Doppel Bock and eisbock created by freezing a portion of the water оЂ±ese are the strong beers of Germany. and removing it from the beer. оЂ±is form of Both are lagers (bottom fermented) and concentration increases the beerвЂ™s body, both styles are usually dark beers, п¬‚avour, and alcohol content. In the old although some examples can range days, this was done by putting barrels from tawny-red to orange amber to of doppelbock out in the winter to dark brown in colour. Darker versions freeze. Anything that didnвЂ™t freeze was often have ruby highlights. A doppeltapped oп¬Ђ in smaller kegs. bock is essentially a вЂњdouble strongвЂќ Eisbocks are deep copper to dark lager. Doppelbocks are huge beers reddish brown in colour, often with with enough malt packed in them to attractive ruby highlights. Aroma is п¬‚ood the palate like liquid bundt dominated by a balance of rich, cake. A Bavarian specialty п¬Ѓrst intense malt and a deп¬Ѓnite alcohol brewed in Munich by the monks of St. presence with signiп¬Ѓcant fruity esters, Francis of Paula, they generally have particularly those reminiscent of a very full-bodied п¬‚avour and a plum, prune or grape. Alcohol aroma higher level of alcohol. оЂ±is style hapshould not be harsh like a solvent. pens to be one of my favorites. оЂ±e rich, sweet malt п¬‚avour is Aromas: Very strong maltiness. balanced by a signiп¬Ѓcant alcohol Darker versions will have decocted presence, toasty qualities, some malt compounds giving signiп¬Ѓcant caramel, a slight chocolate п¬‚avour toasty-sweet aromas. Also a very faint and signiп¬Ѓcant fruity esters (plum, noble hop aroma and a moderately prune or grape). оЂ±e character should low fruity aspect to the bouquet, often be smooth, in spite of the alcohol content. described as prune, plum or grape, may be Great cellaring potential. present in dark versions and a very slight Doppel Bocks and Eisbocks available chocolate-like aroma may also be present. locally include: Flavour: a strong sweetish malt п¬‚avor aventinus weizen-eisbock (lcbo 58875) with toasty notes, slight chocolate п¬‚avor is A dark wheat doppelbock and a personal usual in darker versions. Some fruitiness favourite; (prune, plum or grape) is present. Invari- niagara Falls eisbock (lcbo 263673 and ably, there will be an impression of alco- TBS 750 mL bottle) Locally made; holic strength, but this should be smooth aventinus weisendarkbier (lcbo 366088) and warming rather than harsh or burn- An Eisbock form GermanyвЂ™s Premier ing. Most versions are fairly sweet without brewer; Introducing Northstar Retro Appliances from Elmira Stove Works The look and mood of another era but with the professional features that match your 21st-Century lifestyle and culinary needs. Energy Star-rated, 9 cool colours, these appliances have Form plus Function. All-gas, all-electric or dual fuel options. Range Hoods and Dishwasher panels are also available. Just le! your sty 2100 - 45 Oxford St. E., London 519-451-2124 www.elmirastoveworks.com 46 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net weltenburger Kloster asam-Bock (lcbo 893974) My favourite Kloster bock; Paulaner Salvator (lcbo 926121) One of the oldest and original German doppelbocks; Schloss eggenberg Samichlaus Bier may be available by mid-winter. Brewed yearly for a Christmas release, this is the worldвЂ™s strongest doppelbock at 14% ABV. imperial Stout (Russian imperial Stout) Historically brewed to high gravity and hopping level in England for export to the Baltic States and Russia, this was highly popular with the Russian Imperial Court. Today, the style has been widely revived by micro brewers to renewed popularity with the crafted beer devotee. With its jet black opaque appearance and full-bodied velvety, chewy, luscious texture, Imperial stout has a large following and makes converts daily. Aromas: Rich and complex roasted grain maltiness, fruity esters, bittering hops, and alcohol. оЂ±e roasted malt character has a coп¬Ђee-dark chocolate, or slightly burnt вЂњcharвЂќ to it. Fruity aroma takes on a complex, dark fruit (e.g. plums, prunes, raisins) character. Aged samples have a slight vinous or port-like quality. Flavour: Rich, velvety, deep, complex and frequently quite intense, with roasted malt suggesting bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate, java-cocoa. Medium to aggressively high bitterness. Fruity esters take on a dark fruit character (raisins, plums, or prunes). Imperial stouts are great to cellar for a few years. Some world class Imperial Stouts available locally include: Scotch-irish John by Imperial Stout (lcbo), an Ottawa craft brewer making their version of a widely acclaimed local micro brewerвЂ™s Imperial Stout recipe; wellington imperial Russian Stout (tbs [оЂ±e Beer Store] and the brewery store and on tap at good beer bars). An award-winning beer from a Guelph micro brewer who got the attention of European beer critics; Sinha Stout (lcbo 676072) Worldwide fame follows this foreign-brewed Imperial. Rich in malts, chocolaty, roasty and issue five вЂў december 2007 slightly sweet, this is one of the best stouts the LCBO imports these days. For those who can get stateside to a US speciality shop like Premier Gourmet in Buп¬Ђalo, the world is your oyster for п¬Ѓnding great US micro brewed Imperial stouts. HereвЂ™s a short list of my top rated ones in order of personal preference: aleSmith Speedway Stout; Samual SmithвЂ™s imperial Stout; оЂ±ree Floyds Dark Lord Russian imperial Stout; Victory Storm King Stout; North Cost BrewingвЂ™s old Rasputin; Bells expedition Stout; Great Divide BrewingвЂ™s yeti Stout; Great Lakes Blackout Stout. Belgian Strong ales оЂ±e whole universe of Belgian strong ales is complex and technical, with many subgenres, so we are only brushing the surface here in this limited space. Christmas time is the only chance Ontarians have to get these great ales when they appear as seasonals, so I hope to give you just enough info to discern what your are buying/tasting. We will tackle the vast Belgian style sheet bit by bit in later editions but for today, letвЂ™s get highly generic with Belgian strong ales and say there are two types: dark and pale (or вЂњblondeвЂќ). оЂ±ese have three sub-types, referred to as doubles, triples and quadruples. Unlike the Germans, Belgians are quite unashamed to use candi sugars and other high sucrose syrups to get strength in their beers. So, aside from large malt content, there is a lot of sugar (up to 20%) used in the dubbels and tripels and more in the quadruples. оЂ±is can create some very pleasantly complex п¬‚avours when brewed with other non-standard grains and botanicals. Further п¬‚avour complexity comes from the fact that many Belgian strong ales are unп¬Ѓltered. As a rule of thumb, Belgian darks are musty, fruity (п¬Ѓgs, dates) nutty and rich. Belgian Pales (which range from pale yellow to gold-amber) are spicy bright and dryer. Dubbel, Tripel and Quadruple refer to the alcohol strength, that can range from 6.3% for a simple strong ale to 7.5%8% for a dubbel and 9%-10% for a tripel. december 2007 вЂў issue five Quadruples can go as high as 14%. оЂ±is is strong stuп¬Ђ, but the п¬‚avours make it interesting and it is a beer geekвЂ™s heaven once you get a palate for these ales. We are fortunate here that the LCBO imports some excellent Belgian ales in the winter and we also have a Canadian micro brewery called Unibroue from Quebec, which makes some of the best bottle conditioned Belgian ales available. If you see them in the 750 mL corked wine bottle, grab them, as they are made for your beer cellar. Locally available Belgian Strong ales include: Unibroue La Fin Du Monde (lcbo and tbs) A Belgian Abbey triple, award-winning and internationally recognized as a world class example of the style; Unibroue Maudite (lcbo/tbs) A Belgian Dark strong ale on par with BelgiumвЂ™s best, made right here in Canada. A multiple award winning brew; Unibroue Trois Pistoles (lcbo/tbs) A strong dark Belgian ale similar to a Port wine. Is as dark as can be, mellow in taste with an aroma of ripe fruits. оЂ±e best from this brewer, IMHO; Leп¬Ђe Brun and Leп¬Ђe Blon (lcbo) is a Pale and Brown strong ale in the commercial vein for those who п¬Ѓnd other Belgian ales too вЂњadventurous.вЂќ оЂ±is oneвЂ™s safe for uninitiated company; aп¬„igem Blonde (lcbo) akin to the Leп¬Ђe, an approachable blonde strong ale for a wide array of palates; Chimay (lcbo) Blue cap, Red cap, and White cap, Trappist-styled ales of Strong, Dubbel and Triple strength respectively. Great intro to Trappist styled ales; Duvel (lcbo) оЂ±e quintessential Belgian blonde strong ale. Drinkable, delicious, dry and deceptively intoxicating. always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net 47 ance of the special exclusive Belgian ales Gift Pack (lcbo 562397). It is a mixed selection of Belgian Strong ale styles from the Van Steenberge brewery. It cross-sections the rich variety of strong ale available in Belgium, from Abbey dubbels and Tripels to dark Quadruples: augustijn: An Abbey Tripel; Bornem Dubbel: An Abbey dubbel вЂњdoubleвЂќ; Bornem Triple: An Abbey Tripel; Bruegel: A Belgian amber strong; Gulden Draak: A Belgian strong dark ale (Quadruple); Piraat: Belgian strong pale ale. оЂ±is year it is joined by the Biere Du Boucanier Mixed Pack (lcbo 612077) which includes 2 each of: La BiГЁre du Boucanier Red ale: a strong Red ale; La BiГЁre du Boucanier Blonde: a strong Belgian blonde or pale ale. La BiГЁre du Boucanier Dark ale: A strong Belgian Dark ale. As if this isnвЂ™t Christmas enough, оЂ±e LCBO has brought in one of my favourite Vienna lagers which is brewed by a Holland micro brewer. For the holiday gift season, Christoп¬Ђel Robertus Vienna has been imported in a special 2-litre вЂњgrowlerвЂќ jug to share with friends. I look forward to Christmas every year,in the hope this great subtle velvety Vienna beer shows up. And this year it did it in spades. Happy holidays from оЂ±e Malt Monk, and may your New Year be enhanced by the I have to focus on the great import beer gift discovery of good beer! packs the LCBO is oп¬Ђering. Many contain proper glassware for enjoying the contents вЂњThe Malt MonkвЂќ is the alter ego of D.R. HAMMOND, an of the gift pack. industrial consultant by day and a passionate supporter of оЂ±is year a couple stand out for me. оЂ±e craft beer culture in his spare time. A home brewer of many п¬Ѓrst is the Jacobsen Lagers gift pack (lcbo years and an active reviewer and consumer of craft beers 52035), which contains a few of CarlsbergвЂ™s for as long as he cares to remember, D.R. can be found anybest crafted lagers from Europe. where there is a celebration of the traditional craft brewing Probably the best deal of the season, art and good food. and one I anticipate all year, is the appear- оЂ±e Taste(s) of the Month 48 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net issue five вЂў december 2007 SEASONAL RECIPES Let it Snow, Let it Snow! By Christine Scheer M uch of the fun of Christmas time is in the build-up: the planning, special dinners, writing cards, wrapping gifts and Christmas baking. I certainly have the вЂњtried and trueвЂќ baking favourites that I canвЂ™t do without, but I always like to add a new cookie, square or confection to my repertoire. Sometimes I just donвЂ™t have the time to spend all day in the kitchen, but I still want to make something special for my friends. оЂ±ese treats п¬Ѓt the bill perfectly: rich, delicious and decadent, but very simple and not time consuming to make. So put on the Christmas music, roll up your sleeves, and enjoy! Fudge Snowballs These are quick, easy, and irresistible! 1 large (300 g) milk chocolate bar with hazelnuts 1 can (300 mL) sweetened condensed milk ВЅ cup (125 mL) icing sugar ВЅ cup (125 mL) dried cranberries Cocoa, for dusting snowballs 1 2 3 4 Lightly spray an 8-inch by 8-inch Pyrex pan with cooking spray or lightly coat with butter. In a medium-size, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the chocolate with the sweetened condensed milk. Remove from heat, stir in icing sugar and dried cranberries. Transfer into prepared pan and refrigerate for 2 hours. Line a tray with parchment paper or foil and lightly butter it. Scoop fudge out by the teaspoonful, and quickly roll it into balls. Place on prepared tray. Before serving, sift cocoa into shallow pan, roll fudge snowballs around in cocoa. Serve. These look nice placed into small foil cups. Makes approximately three to four dozen. Shortbread Snowballs WhatвЂ™s Christmas without shortbread? 1 lb (494 g) butter, softened 1 cup (250 mL) icing sugar, sifted 2 Tbsp (30 mL) orange zest, minced 4 cups (1 L) sifted all-purpose flour More icing sugar, for dusting 1 2 3 4 Heat oven to 350В°F (180В°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter with the icing sugar, add in the orange zest, and then the flour. Mix just until blended, but do not beat. Scoop dough out in teaspoonfuls, gently rolling into a ball shape, keeping all the balls approximately the same size. Place on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until shortbread is lightly browned on bottom. Cool on rack, dust with icing sugar. Makes four to five dozen. always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net december 2007 вЂў issue five Peanut Butter Snowballs 3 These have become a Christmas tradition at our house. 2 cups (500 mL) peanut butter 6 Tbsp (90 mL) butter 2 cups (500 mL) icing sugar 2 cups (500 mL) rice krispies 2 cups (500 mL) icing sugar water 3 cups (750 mL) coconut 1 2 3 4 49 chocolate. Blend in the cocoa and flour. Sprinkle some cocoa onto your counter top and rolling pin. Roll out dough to about Вј-inch thick. Cut out with snowflake-shaped cookie cutter. Gently place onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on rack. Sprinkle with sifted icing sugar before serving. Makes two dozen. Combine the peanut butter with the butter and 2 cups icing sugar. Stir in the rice krispies. Roll mixture into bite-size balls. Combine remaining icing sugar with enough water to make a thick paste. Place coconut in a shallow bowl. Roll the balls in the icing sugar mixture, then in the coconut, and then place on a parchment lined tray to dry. White Chocolate Snowflakes These are a simple yet fabulous garnish for your Christmas goodies. 1 package (300 g) white chocolate chips Crushed candy canes (optional) 1 2 Makes approximately 4 dozen. 3 Chocolate Ginger Snowflakes These taste even better if you let them sit for a day or two. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt white chocolate in the bowl of a double boiler. When it is melted, stir until it is smooth. Let it cool down for a few minutes. Scoop the melted chocolate into a piping bag, and pipe out into a snowflake shape onto the parchment paper. Sprinkle with crushed candy cane if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 1 cup (250 mL) butter ВЅ cup (125 mL) icing sugar Вј cup (60 mL) candied ginger, finely chopped Makes approximately one dozen snowflakes. 1 oz melted semi-sweet chocolate Вј cup cocoa, sifted CHRISTINE SCHEER is a chef who lives on an organic farm 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour with her husband and two daughters. She has cooked for More icing sugar, for dusting London area restaurants, owned a catering business, written a Covent Garden Market cookbook, taught many cooking 1 Heat oven to 350В° F (180В° C). Line a bakclasses and currently runs the Oakridge Superstore cooking ing sheet with parchment paper. 2 In a medium-size bowl, cream the butter school. Her passions include using seasonal, local ingredients to create delicious fare, and teaching children how to with the icing sugar. Stir in the candied ginger, and then the melted semi-sweet cook. Reach Christine at: dolwayorganicgarden@sympatico.ca upstairs Private Classes and Corporate Entertaining Our public classes п¬Ѓlled up quickly this fall and our winter classes will likely do the same. Are you interested in creating your own special cooking class with friends or for entertaining clients? Need to boost morale, build your team and enhance workplace synergy? We can arrange your private cooking class for groups of 12 or more. Contact our Cooking School Coordinators for more details. www.loblaws.ca FANSHAWE WONDERLAND 1740 Richmond St N 3040 Wonderland Rd S 519-673-5326 519-668-7440 a t s u p e r s t o r e www.superstore.ca OXFORD OAKRIDGE STRATHROY 825 Oxford St E 1201 Oxford St W 626 Victoria Street 519-434-2070 519-641-0932 519-245-4198 50 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net issue five вЂў december 2007 TRAVEL Barcelona: Medieval Charm with 21st-Century Flare By Kent Van Dyk hen I think of Barcelona, images of Gaudi masterpieces, the Picasso Museum, walking La Rambla, shopping and eating all swim through my head. It is one of the greatest cities in the world. Having worked in Spain for four months on the island of Majorca, I already held the п¬Ѓrm opinion that this country is the most exciting and interesting place to eat right now. Not only are you blessed with regional cooking rivaling Italy or France, the Spanish desire to push the envelope with everything from п¬Ѓlm to music to architecture and especially food are evident everywhere you look вЂ¦ but especially in Barcelona. Barcelona is the capital and largest city in the province of Catalonia. It sits on the Mediterranean and is still one of EuropeвЂ™s major ports. Founded as a Roman city, it has a rich and varied history. At one time ruled by the Moors, before the Catholic King Ferdinand and his wife Queen Isabella united Spain, Moorish inп¬‚uence can be seen in the architecture of the oldest portions of Barcelona. оЂ±e food in Barcelona was the main draw for me, but the sights and sounds of W The array of food impresses and inspires. this ancient city pull you into its web of medieval alleyways. You feel as though you could get lost and never want to be found. оЂ±e most intriguing areas are the Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter) and оЂ±e Born. Both are blessed with amazing architecture, incredible shopping and food at every turn. None of the streets run truly parallel to each other, which makes for tricky navigation and surprising discoveries. Just when you feel as though you know where youвЂ™re going, you make a right turn and out of nowhere you are standing in the middle of a small square with a 500year-old church rising in front of you. As far as eating goes, the choices are endless. Although there are some вЂњtouristвЂќ spots serving un-inspiring paella and tapas, most of the dining options oп¬Ђer excellent examples of Catalan cuisine. Two places in particular, Lonja de Tapas (www.lonjadetapas.com) and Tapas del Born, were superb and well-priced, with eп¬ѓcient service and quaint charm. For the sweet-tooth crowd, Cacao Sampaka (www.cacaosampaka.com) oп¬Ђers amazing concoctions for those who like to think outside the box. Examples such as вЂњTomato and Chocolate JamвЂќ and truп¬„es made with all manner of spices, herbs and edible п¬‚owers can be found in this sleek, modern space. Cacao Sampaka is a chocoholicвЂ™s dream come true. оЂ±e Born Demasie (www.demasie.es) oп¬Ђers similar twists, oп¬Ђering вЂњtwoonie-sizedвЂќ cookies in beautiful packing with combinations like dark chocolate with peppermint, white chocolate with preserved lemon and savoury always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net december 2007 вЂў issue five shortbreads with pesto, curry or rosemary, just to name a few. On the less traditional side of dining are ABAC, Comerc 24 and Espai Sucre. ABAC (www.restaurantabac.com) is a Michelin-starred restaurant presided over by Chef/owner Xavier Pellicer and it serves some of the best food I have ever eaten. In a most amazing and tranquil dining room, I enjoyed dishes such as Turbot Tartar with Almonds, Caviar and Flower Ice Cream; Tuna with Marrakech Cumin and Suckling Pig Jus; Milk-fed Lamb with Vanilla; and desserts such as Green Peas with Eucalyptus and Sheep Milk and Caramelized Carrot Charlota (PellicerвЂ™s take on Carrot Cake). оЂ±ere is nothing вЂњpreciousвЂќ about this food. It is executed perfectly, served masterfully and provided one the best dining experiences I have ever had. For tapas taken to new and dizzying heights, a trip to Comerc 24 (www.comerc24.com) The sounds and colours are integral parts of the Barcelona market scene. to sample Carles AbellanвЂ™s cuisine is a must. оЂ±e chef trained with Ferran Adria, the mad-scientist of Spanish cuisine and the man who put the country on the gastronomic map (and trained many of the chefs leading the way for the new Spanish cuisine). оЂ±e room is modern but comfortable, the service impeccable and the array Tis the Season For ... 5вЂќ Birch Bark Star, $4.00 51 Inspired Decorating, Joyful Entertaining, and Thoughtful Gift-giving. SHOP OUR ONLINE CATALOGUE AT http://www.blackdogdecor.com Enjoy free shipping in London by entering LONDON in the checkout coupon box. www.blackdogdecor.com Furnishings & Decor | At the Table | By the Fire | Lighting | Deck & Dock | Vintage 52 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net issue five вЂў december 2007 La Bouqeuria St. Josef is a market not to be missed. of dishes staggering. оЂ±e Kinder Egg of soft poached egg in the shell with Black Trufп¬‚es was amazing, the Braised Oxtail and Mushroom вЂњCaneloniвЂќ and the Hake with Pil Pil Sauce were all beautiful to look at and wonderful to eat. оЂ±e sweets tapas were astonishing, beautifully executed miniature works of art. Hindsight being 20/20, we should have ordered the Festival or Super Festival Tasting menu. Next time. Espai Sucre (www.espaisucre.com) is a dessert restaurant unlike anything I have ever encountered. It seats just 24 people and although there is the odd savoury dish on the menu (such as Red Mullet with Cosmo Caixa is a science and natural history museum. Sponge Cake and Peanut Brittle, a brilliant combination for this amazing Mediterranean п¬Ѓsh) one comes here for the dessert tasting menu. Combinations such as Green Apple Soup with Spicy Yogurt Ice Cream; Bread Pudding with Bacon Ice Cream and Pineapple; or Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cake with White Peaches and Green Olives are amazing. оЂ±e kitchen combines sweet and savoury with incredible dexterity. оЂ±e descriptions are somewhat straightforward but give no indication of the amazing presentations that await. оЂ±e restaurant also has a staggering number of dessert wines from all over the world which they will pair with your courses. A trip to Barcelona is not complete without a stroll along La Rambla, the kilometres-long boulevard that runs from the Placa Catalunya to the waterfront. Filled with shops and restaurants (mostly of the tourist variety), it is eye-candy for anyone who likes to people watch. But one of the best reasons to head down La Rambla is to explore La Bouqeuria St. Josef, BarcelonaвЂ™s amazing market. Here you will п¬Ѓnd everything and anything you could imagine, december 2007 вЂў issue five always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net 53 from fresh meat and п¬Ѓsh to an astonCathedral ishing variety of cheese, fruit, vegetaSagrada bles and more Spanish ham than you Familia could eat in a lifetime. Get a seat at one of the little market tapas bars and consider yourself lucky to enjoy food that was purchased feet away and cooked simply and with the utmost respect. Although not food-related, a trip to Barcelona is not complete without visiting the Cathedral Sagrada Familia. оЂ±is soaring monument to faith dominates the entire Barcelona skyline. Deп¬Ѓnitely wait in line to go up inside one of the spires (there are eight now and when complete there will be eighteen). оЂ±is was the work that dominated the last half of Antoni GaudiвЂ™s life, a masterpiece of perhaps the greatest Moderniste architect. Also not to be missed, although a little out of the way, is Cosmo Caixa (perhaps the coolest science and natural history museum in the world). Again, in typical Spanish fashion, the building is a combination of old and new, with п¬Ѓve п¬‚oors of sci- KENT VAN DYK is Executive Chef at On the Fork Restauence and history that range from the Big rant and Lounge in Museum London. Bang to today and all points in between. Barcelona is a city for exploring. Bring comfortable shoes and take the Bus Have a gastronomic travel story Touristic tour of the city on your п¬Ѓrst day to tell? Whether itвЂ™s a daytrip or a transcontinental to become familiar with all the areas. But adventure, the focus must be on food and drink. most important, bring your appetite and a Send your story (400-1000 words) to: editor@eatdrinkmag.net. Winning entries will sense of adventure. receive a $50 gift certificate from a great restaurant! A Culinary Adventure: Mexico Magnifico Join us for 7 fun-п¬Ѓlled days of daytripping through Mexico City and the Highlands, exploring a vast treasure of history, culture & anthropology Feb 5-12, 2008 .'+ -! /(%'( .'+ -! FRESH MEXICAN GRILL /(%'( TAPAS LOUNGE FRESH MEXICAN GRILL TAPAS LOUNGE Discover вЂњReal MexicoвЂќ with a fun group and English-speaking guide, at a super price! Call the restaurant for details. 7-Night stay in the Hotel Royal Zona Rosaв�…в�…в�…в�…в�… 7 Buп¬Ђet Breakfasts in the hotel 7 Dinners: 5 in hotel, 2 in Destination Restaurants Richmond & Piccadilly 519-435-1197 www.iloveunderthevolcano.com вЂњA delightfully charming story for animal lovers of all ages.вЂќ The Best Products YouвЂ™ll Never See Acrylic: Clear to Your Needs Lindsay by Ann & David David and Ann Lindsay owned and operated Ann McCollвЂ™s Kitchen Shop with the help of their animal friends in London Ontario from 1969 to 2002. Available at: The Oxford Book Shop Ltd. Attic Books JillвЂ™s Table Acrylic poster holders can be placed anywhere around your restaurant or business. Vertical Poster Holder This is just one or slant frames are perfect to example of what we can do for you hold promotional п¬‚yers and in acrylic. We cusmessages that can be easily tom fabricate our changed for each season or products to suit sale. Keeping menus and other your speciп¬Ѓc need. The only limit is literature in neat and easily your imagination! accessible areas is a snap with Call for your free acrylic holders. estimate. Granton Plastics 1673 Richmond St., Suite 301 e of London ON N6G 2N3 At this timider $9.95 Sales beneп¬Ѓt The London Humane Society s year, cono a cause t g in t www.grantonplastics.com dona to your heart! close 519 520 1270 (JGU ( JGU $FSUJmDBUFT $FSUJmDBUFT " "WBJMBCMF WBJMBCM CF 'PS 'PS &&WFSZ WFSZ 44FSWJDF FSWJDF 3BOHF **OO &&WFSZ WFSZ 11SJDF SJDF 3 BOOHF 3JDINPOE 44U U --POEPO POEPO XXXXBRVBNBTTBHFMPOEPODB XXBRVBNBTTBHHFMPOEPODBB .BLFT B GBOUBTUJD HJGU GPS BOZPOF The Sunnivue Farmstore Organic Meat and Produce OPEN EVERY SATURDAY To December 22, 10am-5pm HOME DELIVERY On Tuesdays from late January. Please call for more info. Organic Vegetables & Herbs Fresh-Cut & Dried Flowers Beef, Veal & Pork Eggs & Beeswax Candles Home-Made Bread & Buns Maple Syrup, Honey & Jam All Subject to Seasonal Availability HereвЂ™s one of the many ways to Sunnivue: Take town on Queen (which becomes Petty St.) Turn right Richmond St. to Elginп¬Ѓeld and turn left on Route 7. on New Ontario Rd., a short distance outside of Continue to Ailsa Craig and turn left in the middle of town, and drive about 1 km. to Sunnivue, on the left. www.sunnivue-farm.on.ca 519-232-9096 december 2007 вЂў issue five always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net 55 MIXOLOGY Holiday eggnog By Darcy OвЂ™Neil I n the spirit of the holidays, I thought IвЂ™d write my п¬Ѓrst column here about eggnog, since it is customarily served as a welcoming drink. оЂ±is tradition started in England sometime in the 1700s, with a drink called Dry Sack Posset, a combination of sherry, milk and eggs, served warm. Eventually, sugar and rum would be added, making what we now know as eggnog. оЂ±is drink was originally served at weddings, then during holidays and eventually became the standard вЂњwelcoming drinkвЂќ for any celebration. Eggnog is still popular, but commercialization has turned it into something you buy at the grocery store. оЂ±e elegance of the drink into the drink, creating a light, frothy has been replaced by convenience. Do you eggnog. Pour into mugs and sprinkle really want to serve the most important peofreshly grated nutmeg on top. ple in your life pre-packaged eggnog? The chances of contracting salmonella from When I choose a drink, I like to look at the raw eggs is very small, but if the idea of raw original recipes, and then combine those eggs is still off-putting, there are simple recipes with modern methods and ingredimethods to cook the eggs while still mainents to create something unique, but familiar. taining that creamy, smooth, eggnog texture. For example, classic eggnog packs a calorie i) Bring the milk and cream to a simmer, in punch with over 400 calories per cup. In this a pot. version, the calorie count drops to about 250 ii) Place the eggs in the blender and begin per cup, but still retains that classic eggnog blending, slowly adding the hot cream п¬‚avour in a lighter, more modern style. mixture. This will slowly cook the eggs, but keep the smooth texture of the Holiday Eggnog eggnog. Serves Four iii) Continue with the recipe. 4 large fresh eggs If non-traditional is your style, you can make a 4 oz (115 mL) 18% table cream Chocolate Eggnog. Simply melt 3 oz of dark 8 oz (225 mL) 2% milk chocolate in 3 Tbsp of cream (18%). Add this 6 oz (170 mL) Cream Sherry to the eggnog recipe and substitute the 2 oz (55 mL) Dark Rum sherry with a coffee-flavoured liqueur. 3 Tbsp (45 mL) sugar Вј tsp (1.25 mL) vanilla extract nutmeg, freshly grated DARCY O'NEIL is a London bartender with a formal educa1 Combine eggs, cream, milk and sugar in tion in chemistry. He became a bartender partially by chance a blender. Blend for one minute on high. and partially to fulfill his culinary desires. Believing food and 2 Add the sherry, rum and vanilla with the drink are too important to allow shortcuts in quality, he blender running. Refrigerate 15 to 20 quickly became an advocate for great cocktails. In addition minutes. to this column, Darcy spends his time writing about his 3 Before serving, blend quickly for 15 to 20 mixology and bartending experiences on his website The seconds. This will help to incorporate air Art of Drink (http://www.theartofdrink.com). 56 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net issue five вЂў december 2007 THE LIGHTER SIDE The Christmas Dog By Millicent Windsor Dear Leticia, y, but arenвЂ™t we the bold one! Paris and Milano in the same Season! Well, say hello to one and all and especially to Paolo. And be a dear and see if you can get me a scarf in my colour from ViscontiвЂ™s (if you can tear yourself from the runways.) Hope this п¬Ѓnds you. I canвЂ™t tell you the strange replies I get to my emails. I have no idea where they go! (Someone said they saw one in a Canadian food & drink magazineвЂ”can you imagine?) оЂ±atвЂ™s why my secretary usually types them. Oh well. I took you up on your suggestion and went to that Ikea place. I didnвЂ™t know what to wear so as Mama always said, вЂњWhen in doubt wear basic black.вЂќ I wore the Donna Karen pantsuit with the wide п¬‚owing legs and 3-inch heels and carried a matching Louis Vuitton bag. Do you remember how cold it gets here in December? Fortunately I still had the black sable full-length. I was ready for anything. You wonвЂ™t believe the colours they use. Royal blue and gold! What can you do with that? (It reminded me of the uniforms of those Swedish hockey players we met that ChristmasвЂ”blush blush. What were their names, Carl and Gustaf?) Riding up the escalator, I realize IвЂ™m starving. (You know how shopping aп¬Ђects my appetite.) So I followed the signs and found myself in line for a п¬Ѓfty-cent hotdog. I couldnвЂ™t believe itвЂ”I got two! And a cinnamon bun. (Same price.) As Andre always says, вЂњоЂ±e proof is in le degustation.вЂќ So I topped the hotdogs with mustard and relish squeezed out of packets. (оЂ±eyвЂ™re small enough to put lots in your purseвЂ”if M. Vuitton only knew!) I took my п¬Ѓrst bite and was immediately transported back to that Christmas on the Rio Ferali. Do you remember, we had taken the M night train to Venice and got that little room above the canal? We couldnвЂ™t cook in the room so we smuggled in sausages and cheese. And then I recalled all the little bakeries on the Marzaria de lвЂ™Orologio. We would sit for hours drinking espresso and eating chocolate-dipped biscotti. оЂ±atвЂ™s where we met Carl and Gustaf. Well, right in the middle of this reverie, I hear, вЂњHey Look, a Christmas Dog!вЂќ At the next table, a boy has smothered his hot dog in ketchup and relishвЂ”the Christmas colours. He then starts licking the hot dog clean of the condiments while his father pulls a half-eaten hot dog out of his young daughterвЂ™s diaper as she screams вЂњTake home for Riley.вЂќ (оЂ±e mother just stirs coffee while looking oп¬Ђ into the distance.) оЂ±en I felt a tugging on my sleeve, and the boy is patting my sable like itвЂ™s a pet gerbil. My heart skips a beat but I give him my famous withering stare and he gets up and walks over to his mother. She gives me a look of apology and I smile back sympathetically. And pass her the cinnamon bun. Back on the highway, I marveled at the power food has to resurrect memories. I think thatвЂ™s why I always associate good food with Christmas. Oh yes, and a little sharing too. All my Love dear and have a Great Holiday Season! Millicent BTW, I canвЂ™t remember, was yours Gustaf or Carl? MILLICENT WINDSOR (an alter ego for a struggling London writer) is heir to a salt manufacturing conglomerate and spends her time between the Continent and her home in Ballymote, where she helps direct charities. Have a funny story to tell, with a gastronomic bent? Send your story (400-600 words) to: editor@eatdrinkmag.net. Winning entries will get a $50 gift certificate from a great restaurant! Bethanys Hope Foundation proudly presents Chef Michael Smith host of on the Saturday, February 23rd, 2008 Centennial Hall Fabulous Gourmet Lunch London, ON featuring Come early for the Breakfast Workshop! 9:00 to 11:00 am Tickets $125.00 - Full Day (Doors open at 8:30 am) $100.00 - Afternoon Only (Doors open at 11:00 am) * Renovating Workshop with Patrick Malloy - Duo Building Ltd. * Workshop with Mary Arthur - cohost Design Line * Small Appliance Workshop with Michelle Kostya - Cuisinart Fabulous Exhibitors from 9am to 5pm Presented by also presenting Lynne Spence featured on City TVвЂ™s - City-Line To register please contact Lindey McIntyre @ 858-4673 e-mail: lindey@on.aibn.com www.bethanyshope.org Sponsored by FOOD NETWORK is a trademark of Television Food Network G.P.: used with permission Relaxed and Elegant Fine Dining Well known to Londoners, Tony and Irene Demas have been well-respected restaurateurs for more than 30 years. They opened Wilberforce Inn in 2000. Tony invites you to visit the wine cellar as part of your dining experience. His eclectic list boasts over 150 different wines in a 500-bottle cellar, providing just the right pairings with IreneвЂ™s culinary creations. Her commitment to sourcing the freshest and most interesting ingredients means the menu changes regularly, with mainstays remaining due to customer demand. The Wilberforce Inn offers a warm and comfortable setting ideal for special occasions. Large groups are expertly accommodated and receive the same gracious personal service that helps make this small town venue an unexpected oasis. Classic French and Mediterranean cuisine, candlelight, fine linens and soft jazz standards The Inn, once home to the village post office, was built in 1906 in historic Lucan Lunch and Dinner Tuesday to Saturday 11:30 am to (Last Seating) 8:30 pm Wilberforce Inn 161 Main Street, Lucan Only 20 minutes North of London, straight out Richmond St. 519-227-0491 www.wilberforceinn.com WEB1 issue five вЂў december 2007 BOOKS More from Baking Illustrated Recipes selected by Jennifer Gagel Recipes courtesy of Baking Illustrated: The Practical Kitchen Companion for the Home Baker (AmericaвЂ™s Test Kitchen). Pumpkin Pie The key to this recipe is timing. Start preparing the filling when you put the pie shell in the oven. The filling should be ready when the pie shell has partially baked. The pie may be served slightly warmed, chilled, or at room temperature, which is our favourite. Pie Dough 1Вј cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough ВЅ tsp salt 1 Tbsp sugar 3 Tbsp vegetable shortening, chilled 4 Tbsp (ВЅ stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into Вј-inch pieces 4-5 Tbsp ice water 1 2 3 Process the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add the shortening and process until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand, about 10 seconds. Scatter the better pieces over the flour mixture; cut the butter into the flour until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse crumb, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about 1-second pulses. Turn the mixture into a medium bowl. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. With a rubber spatula, use a folding motion to mix. Press down on the dough with the broad side of the spatula until the dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more ice water if the dough will not come together. Flatten the dough into a 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days, before rolling. Remove the dough from the refrigerator (if refrigerated longer than 1 hour, let 4 stand at room temperature until malleable). Roll the dough [illustrations are included in the book] on a lightly floured work surface or between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap to a 12inch circle. Transfer the dough to a 9inch pie plate by rolling the dough around the rolling pin and unrolling over the pan. Working round the circumference of the pie plate, ease the dough into the pan corners by gently lifting the edge of the dough with one hand while gently pressing into the pan bottom with the other hand. Trim the dough edges to extend about ВЅ-inch beyond the rim of the pan. Fold the overhang under itself; flute the dough or press the tines of a fork against the dough to flatten it against the rim of the pie plate. Refrigerate the dough-lined pie plate until firm, about 40 minutes, then freeze until very cold, about 20 minutes. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 375ЛљF. Remove the dough-lined pie plate from the freezer, press a doubled 12-inch piece of heavy-duty foil inside the pie shell, and fold the edges of the foil to shield the fluted edge; distribute 2 cups ceramic or metal pie weights over the foil. Bake, leaving the foil and weights in place until the dough looks dry and is light in colour, 25 to 30 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and weights by gathering the corners of the foil and pulling up and out. For a partially baked crust, continue baking until light golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes; for a fully baked crust, continue baking until deep golden brown, about 12 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack. Pumpkin Filling 2 cups (16 ounces) plain canned pumpkin puree 1 cup packed (7 ounces) dark brown sugar WEB2 2 tsp ground ginger 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg Вј tsp ground cloves ВЅ tsp salt 2/3cup heavy cream 2/3cup milk 4 large eggs Brandied Whipped Cream 1ВЅ cups heavy cream, chilled 2 Tbsp sugar 1 Tbsp brandy 1 2 3 4 5 issue five вЂў december 2007 brandy. Beat to stiff peaks. Accompany each wedge of pie with a dollop of the whipped cream. Banana Bread For best results, be sure to use a loaf pan that measures 9 inches long, 5 inches across and 3 inches deep. Makes one loaf. 2 cups (10 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan 1Вј cups walnuts, chopped coarse Вѕ cup (5Вј oz) sugar Вѕ tsp baking soda ВЅ tsp salt 3 very ripe, soft, darkly speckled large bananas, mashed well (about 1ВЅ cups) Вј cup plain yogurt 2 large eggs, beaten lightly 6 Tbsp (Вѕ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled 1 tsp vanilla extract For the pie shell: Follow the directions for partially baking the crust until light golden brown. For the filling: Meanwhile, process the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, spices and salt in a food processor for 1 minute, until combined. Transfer the pumpkin mixture to a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring it to a sputtering dimmer over medium-high heat. Cook the 1 pumpkin, stirring constantly, until think and shiny, about 5 minutes. As soon as the pie shell comes out of the oven, adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and increase the oven tempera2 ture to 400ЛљF. Whisk the heavy cream and milk into the pumpkin and bring to a bare simmer. Process the eggs in a 3 food processor until the whites and yolks are combined, about 5 seconds. With the motor running, slowly pour 4 about half of the hot pumpkin mixture through the feed tube. Stop the machine and add the remaining pumpkin mixture. Process 30 seconds longer. Immediately pour the warm filling into the hot pie shell. (Ladle any extra filling into the pie after it has baked for 5 minutes or soвЂ”by this time the filling will 5 have settled.) Bake the pie until the filling is puffed, dry-looking, and lightly cracked around edges, and the centre wiggles like gelatin when the pie is gently shaken, about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. For the whipped cream: When ready to serve the pie, beat the cream and sugar in the chilled bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed to soft peaks; add the Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350ЛљF. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 by 5inch loaf pan; dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and walnuts together in a large bowl; set aside. Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter and vanilla with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. (The bread can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.) issue five вЂў december 2007 WEB3