The Yum Yum Factor

Lately I have begun to go through my old posts at my other blog, No ReEats. I will start craving something and comb through this blog, sure that I not only made this tasty thing but I know I blogged it. I remember photographing it and writing about it but I can't seem to find it. For some reason the last place I look is No ReEats, sort of like the fact that Shack always finds his keys in the pants he wore yesterday but that is always the place he ignores because he is sure he didn't leave them in there. Anyway, I am going to start reposting my favourites from over there to here every Thursday so I can have them all in one place, at last. I have moved The Week in Yum to Saturday so, from now on, there will be two regularly scheduled postings each week. Let's get in the way way back machine.... From Thursday, January 26, 2012: It was a rare night where both of my men were going to be home for dinner so I kindly asked them if they would like to put in any requests. I ...

The Kid is sick and like a dog, this kid is stoic. He always says he is feeling okay, never wants to stay home from school and actually refuses my offers of a day in bed because there is something wrong with him. What kind of weirdo doesn't jump at a sick day from school? Clearly he did not get the memo on how to deal with the mansick. To be perfectly honest,  if I didn't watch this kid spring from my loins with my own eyes I would make myself take a maternity test. A sick young man requires a nourishing soup that will be smooth enough that it won't hurt his delicate, froggy throat on the way day but bright and tasty enough to tempt his failing taste buds. He lives for miso soup so I make him cups of miso like I make him cups of tea but there needed to be a soup with a bit more substance. This lemony, thin soup is perfect for these cold weather, feeling too crappy to even want to eat the delicious lunch my mother packed me days. The mix of preserved lemon with fresh...

You know, I think that as a food blogger, I just assume that because I am eating well that everyone is eating well. It feels like all I do is talk about food, shop for food, prepare food, serve food and write about it. If you are reading this blog, you are probably also pretty interested in eating well or else you would be reading a blog about Doritos taco shells or dog grooming or something, right?

Last weekend was a blur of OLYMPICS/HOUSE OF CARDS/OLYMPICS/HOUSE OF CARDS with some food consumed somewhere in there along the way. We only left the house long enough to stuff our faces with delicious brunch items and then it was back to the couch for more speed skating, Francis Underwood and his evil co villian, Claire and hockey and slopestyle. 

The fact that I am not a fan of Valentine's Day did not stop me from making jokes about Shack and his shanks for two days as I was preparing this dish last week. It was only a happy accident that we ended up having this for dinner on Feb 14 but I ran with the opportunity to pretend that it was meant to be a romantic token of my undying love and that alone make them worth their weight in gold. Shank is a funny word at any time but when your husband's name is Shack, it's even funnier. Actually, I often call The Kid Shank in moments of confusion.... you know, now that I think about it, I really should take this as a sign and make them more often. I have been obsessing about this beef cooked in a an ancho coffee sauce that they serve at Xola, a mexican restaurant in The Beaches. The first time I had it they were not called Xola and they were on the Danforth but it's the same restaurant and it's the same, delicious beef that is served with warm corn tortillas s...

Now I know what the hell a rainbow loom is thanks to the girls of Avalon Montessori The week started out with a bang with a delicious dinner from Shack. He made a huge bowl of shrimp ceviche with better guacamole than I ever make, which kind of pisses me off, but whatever.  It was delicious. Then, if that wasn't enough, he made a  ginormous pot of meat sauce. The meal didn't really "flow" in any sort of way but it was super tasty and I got to lay on the couch and watch Olympics so I am not complaining. I am going to be honest with you and admit that nobody eats well during the winter olympics in this house because mama is parked on the couch for two weeks and that is just the way it is so everyone has to get over it and carry on. On Monday I managed to make another batch of BBQ pork so there would be leftovers to pack for lunch all week but The Kid wanted to go to Il Fornello for a $5 margarita pizza. Actually, he ordered TWO $5 pizzas but ...

Last week I went to Momofuku with my friend, Alice,  for ramen at long last. I have been putting this visit off since it opened because it seemed like it was nearly impossible to get a seat at lunch but we happened to be working at the Shangri La Hotel all day so I couldn't not go. More or less living up to the hype, the soup was pretty damned fabulous but the thing I couldn't stop thinking about afterwards was the poached egg they add to it. We get a soft cooked egg in our ramen all the time but it just comes to the table with the egg already in there and I have always just assumed that they poach them the same way I poach them. I bring a pot of water to a simmer, stir the middle to make a vortex - DAMN YOU WINTER VORTEX- and gently slide in an egg that I have cracked into a small bowl. I simmer that for about 3 minutes and gently remove with a slotted spoon and then drain on another paper towel lined slotted spoon. It's not brain surgery but it requires your full att...

One of the greatest thngs about living in Toronto means that I have access to an abundance of fabulous Chinese food. Because of this, there are things that I don't even try to make at home all that often. For the most part, I will think "why would I even attempt BBQ at home when I am a 10 minute drive from Ka Ka?" but you know, I'm in the eye of the stupid winter vortex, I don't have a car during the winter and I didn't think far enough ahead to pick some up earlier in the week and I want to make Cantonese Chow Mein.  Shit happens. I used to date a Chinese guy and his parents made their own BBQ pork and duck and I recall that it was far superior to anything that you could get in a restaurant but I never gave much thought to how they made this stuff. Once, when I was sleeping over at their house I ventured down to the basement in the dark in search of my designated spot on the couch, I had a close encounter with my own  mortality. It was completely bl...

This month's challenge in the  Great Canadian Food Experience  is called Canadian Love Affair. Hmmmm We have covered so many aspects of what constitutes Canadian cuisine. We have talked about regional specialities and food traditions from our families and our childhood and I just keep coming back to the fact that Toronto is a melting pot of every type of international cuisine imaginable. This is the city that introduced me to pho and to Ethiopian food. I learned the difference between a Punjabi butter chicken (the most common regional cuisine served here in North America) and the dosa, a staple of Southern India right here in the city. You can get authentic Iranian food at the Persian Plaza for lunch and then pop over to J Town on for some imported Japanese groceries and grab some bibimbap at The Galleria on your way home.  We also have a huge Italian community which means we have an endless array of authentic Italian restaurants and grocers serving the commun...

Coffee by the fire in the lobby of the Shangri La It's February which means Winterlicious has begun and it's time to get out there and try something new. If you aren't already acquainted with the Liciouses, it's time to find out what it's all about. Twice a year an array of Toronto restaurants put together a prix fixe menu that showcases the best of what they have to offer. Some places just do dinner but others do both a lunch and a dinner menu. It's a great way to discover new restaurants or to try places that you have been meaning to check but just haven't gotten around to. I always go with a friend who will share so that we can both order different stuff and instead of tasting one app, one main and one dessert, I get to taste six new things. I don't really trust people who won't share their food because I get so excited when something is delicious that I want to share it with the whole world. I want you to experience just how amazing t...