The Yum Yum Factor

Check out my little feature on Parkdale's  The Standard Bar  over on Auburn Lane. It's a great little speakeasy, hiding away behind the Parkdale Pizza, accessed through what looks like a door to the alley or something, as speakeasy's are often accessed. Very smart move on the part of the owners of Parkdale Pizza, by the way - this way their space is utilized almost around the clock. Neighbourhood pizza joint by day, rollicking bar with tasty eats by night. Sublime Catering Insanity Michael Tong, Sublime Catering owner and visionary food master designed this insane foodscape for the opening of  Lot X performed by Adelheid  and I was thrilled to help with the execution. This dance performance, choreopgraphed by Heidi Strauss takes the dancers and the audience through several locations throughout Harbourfront Centre only runs until June 2 so if there are any tickets left, get on that. I would love to thoroughly explain the significance behind this food/art ins...

Leslieville Farmer's Market Last Sunday was not only Mother's Day, which I can take or leave to be quite honest, but it was the opening day of my favourite farmer's market, the Leslieville Market. It was a cold, blustery day, marred with rain and wind but I was determined to visit and pick up a few things for dinner. There were quite a few diehard shoppers, happily chatting with vendors who looked cold but enthusiastic and I managed to grab some new plants for my garden to go with the tasty Cider, bread and greens that I threw in my bag before the weather got the best of me. I was too cold to have my customary fish taco from Hooked and those oysters will be mine  another time but this Sunday but I wimped out. Alas, I have become a fair weather shopper. even terrible weather couldn't put a total damper on the first day of the Leslieville Farmer's Market Mimi's Mimi is one of my favourite places for Vietnamese in the city Because it was al...

Lamb Barbacoa from Xola Xola The Kid and I wanted to go out for dinner and we really wanted to eat somewhere kind of new. Xola, in the Beaches, is not new but we haven't eaten there in well over a year, it was a nice night and so we set out for a nice walk down to Queen St East for some tasty Mexican. This is not cheap, down and dirty tacos so don't go expecting that but the food in this tiny little, family run spot is great. I had Lamb Barbacoa - Ontario lamb braised in a rich, dark sauce of beer, lots of spices, and a trio of Mexican chiles. It comes with refried beans and a basket of warm corn tortillas. The Kid had Duck Confit Tacos which were good but left him still hungry and for the price (both entrees are approx $21), we agreed that the lamb is tastier and a better value. Haddock ceviche with a tomatillo/ash marinade was a fresh, delicious bowl of summer. Because we also ordered a mescal, our bill was higher than expected so it puts it in the "...

Austrian Cheese samples at SIAL Lots to share this week! Bootleg Smokehouse First up, my big news - big news for me, anyway. On Sunday, I had my first official meeting with the women of Auburn Lane so say hello to the newest member of the team - along with the addition of my good pal, Heather Lang, the Tasty Gardener /beer sommelier and all around amazing human , who is also now an official part of the Auburn Lane team - go follow her on the old Tweeter here  . I will continue writing about travel, food and eating while travelling as well as our newest section called "The Canna Commissary" where I share information on how to cook with cannabis, share recipes, and hopefully help the canna curious figure out this newly legal phenomenon. We met for a meaty brunch at Bootleg Smokehouse on Spadina, just south of King St. It was my first visit and we all enjoyed a tasty brunch consisting of the Piggy Platter, of course, cornmeal pancakes and some smoked berry fr...

Okay my people, if you are in Toronto, you are in for a treat this month. I am going to make big, family style meal for 20 at The Kingston Social that is inspired by my recent trip to Barcelona. As always, Tanya will be on hand to whip up her amazing cocktails with a lovely wine and beer list available as well. Come and join us for a night of fun, delicious food and drink and if you are really lucky, some table top flamenco dancing by yours truly Reserve your spot by buying a ticket here

I am back from a ten day trip to Barcelona and man, am I fired up! I just spent 10 days eating and drinking and exploring, I lugged home three sizes of paella pans, cazuelas, spices, dried peppers, black sea salt and a brain overloaded with ideas.  Keep your eyes peeled for my upcoming posts about my trip, about what we ate, what we saw and where we went, but, for now, here is what is happening in the upcoming month: For our March Supper Club, I am going to do a bit of a Mexican/Greek mash up. There will be tasty cocktails, great food and great dining companions, as always, so go reserve your seat now Get your tickets for our March 18 Supper Club Opaaa! Upcoming Cooking Classes for March For the cheap and cheerful crowd, I have two What's For Dinner Classes at the Musgrave Loblaws in March. You pay $15 and get a $15 dollar gift card for your trouble. March 8 March 22 Also, my next series of Instant Pot classes this month will be taking place ...

Okay, Toronto Peeps, it's a new year and we are starting up our monthly Supper Clubs at The Kingston Social House, in Toronto's East East End. The first dinner of the year, this Sunday, January 21, will feature one of my favourite meals to cook and eat - my Peruvian Flavah dinner. We start with Aguadito de Pollo, a hearty chicken soup that is full of cilantro, white rice as well as black rice, chicken, aji amarillo all topped off with crispy chicken skin.

It's an Ugly Sweater Party!

Eva's Did you know that every night, more than 2000 Toronto youth are living in the street? Of those 2000, 79% of them site parental addiction, physical, psychological, sexual and emotional abuse as the reason they left home? 40% of homeless youth experience mental health issues but after 4 years of living on the street, that number grows to 705? Thankfully, there are places like Eva's Place, Eva's Satellite and Eva's Phoenix who provide Toronto's homeless youth with a safe place, support and opportunity. Their staff work directly with each and every young person who walks through their doors to come up with individual, personalized plans that will empower them to set and reach goals, both short and long term. It's a fresh start for the most vulnerable among us. You can make cash donations that supply these young people with personal hygiene supplies, TTC passes, food, safe shelter or a day of education counselling. You can volunteer your time, g...

For my Toronto readers, I am back at The Kingston Social House, next Wednesday August 9 for another Pop Up! This time the menu was inspired by my friends, the  MVPs - Most Valuable Peruvians.

Earlier this month I was invited to the Toronto Flavour Your Live Blending Event hosted by Aria Restaurant, here in Toronto.  I LOVE extra virgin olive oil and was intrigued by the whole blending thing, I made my way down to the venue to check it out because I am not missing out on a chance to have some science fun. Taking home my personal blend The owner and blend master himself, Giovanni Zucchi, led us through a tasting, showing us the proper tasting technique (very similar to wine tasting where you take a sip, coat your mouth with the oil then noisily suck air in through pursed lips and then spit it out) and helped us to identify different flavours and how they reacted on the palate. If you think all olive oil is essentially the same, think again. Some show clear notes of pepper, some are kind of sweet, some are more acidic and others are fruity. Professional olive oil tasters sip from blue glasses so that they can focus on the taste and the texture and not get hu...