Another great recipe from our friends at Reunion Island Coffee and this time it’s “Double Chocolate Mint Milano” to brighten your afternoons.

For more information on Reunion Island Coffee please visit them at – http://www.reunionislandcoffee.com/

Double Chocolate Mint Milano

Ingredients:

·         2 shots Reunion Island Cannonball espresso

(Optional: Substitute espresso for 4 oz brewed Reunion Island Guatemala La Soledad)

·         1 oz. Torani Chocolate Milano syrup

·         ½ oz. Torani Chocolate Mint syrup

·         8 oz. steamed or warmed milk

Directions:
Prepare espresso and pour into serving mug. Add sauce, syrup and steamed milk and stir until combined. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

To kick off the new Day-End Doughnation partnership between Panera Bread and Covenant House, Panera is hosting a Food Drive to help stock Covenant House’s internal Food Bank. Donations to the Food Drive must include non-perishable items that are not past their expiry dates.

As well, the two partners will host a Bread Homage ceremony to “break bread” together with local dignitaries; Covenant House youth, staff and supporters; and passersby, to bring attention to the needs of downtown Toronto’s homeless and hungry youth.

As a Day-End Doughnation partner, Covenant House will receive fresh, unsold Panera bakery products at the end of the day. Annually, system-wide, Panera Bread donates over $100 million dollars worth of day-end bread & baked goods to charitable organizations helping to address the need for food distribution in local communities.

When:           Wednesday, May 16, 2012

9am – 8pm  Food Drive

12:15 – 12:30pm  Bread Homage

Where:         Yonge-Dundas Square – South-East corner of Yonge St. and Dundas St. Toronto

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About Covenant House

Covenant House is Canada’s largest shelter for homeless youth offering the widest range of services under one roof to some 4,000 youth annually.

About Panera Bread

Panera Bread Company owns and franchises 1,562 bakery-cafes under the Panera Bread®, Saint Louis Bread Co.®, and Paradise Bakery & Café® names. We feature high quality, reasonably priced food in a warm, inviting, and comfortable environment. With our identity rooted in handcrafted, fresh-baked, artisan bread, we are committed to providing great tasting, quality food that people can trust. Nearly all of our bakery-cafes have a menu highlighted by antibiotic-free chicken, whole grain bread, and select organic and all-natural ingredients, with zero grams of artificial trans fat per serving, which provide flavorful, wholesome offerings. Our menu includes a wide variety of year-round favorites complemented by new items introduced seasonally with the goal of creating new standards in everyday food choices. In neighborhoods across the United States and in Ontario, Canada, our customers enjoy our warm and welcoming environment featuring comfortable gathering areas, relaxing decor, and free Internet access. Our bakery-cafes routinely donate bread and baked goods to community organizations in need. Additional information is available on our website, http://www.panerabread.com

Bring in your own mug/tubler/beverage holder to your nearest Starbucks today and get FREE coffee or iced coffee or hot tea in honour of Earth Day.

Visit the Starbucks website for more information or to find the nearest location close to you – www.starbucks.ca

Everything you love about the Original with twice the patty!  Top it off with 100% Real Canadian Cheddar and Naturally-Smoked Bacon for the ultimate burger experience!
Get a FREE upgrade to Fringes with the purchase of a Double Bacon Cheddar Combo from now till April 1, 2012

Print out the coupon and take it in today!

Visit the Harvey’s website for a full menu and restaurant locations — >  www.harveys.ca

All the hype surrounding The Works is real and the tasty burgers, milkshakes, and lineups are clearly proof of a new player in the race for gourmet burger supremacy.

The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro is an Ottawa based burger giant that has exploded onto the Canadian national scene with agressive expansion  throughout Eastern Ontario in places like, Toronto, London, Guelph, and Waterloo.

We had the pleasure of visiting The Works’  Oakville location for this burger adventure and they did not disappoint, well not entirely.

The waiting area here was packed with anxious burger fans including myself  while we  waited for about an hour to get a seat but the worst and only real complaint of the entire visit was that we were all staring into the restaurant at empty tables!  There was no presence of mind from the staff to clear some tables and seat the increasingly frustrated patrons into the dining area.

Again, seen here are the empty tables and the poor people waiting in line to get into the restaurant.  There were 5 tables surrounding us either empty or waiting to be cleaned up.  Our visit started off on a bad note but this was quickly changed when the food arrived.

Now that the worst part has been taken care of, let’s get down to the finer details of the visit.  Seen here is the rustic exposed brick decor giving The Works a unique sense of style and character.  This location was deceivingly larger from the inside which, wouldn’t be too evident while looking at the store front.

Creative salt and pepper shakers shaped like light bulbs.  I had to pick them up and expect them myself to make sure they weren’t the real thing.  Style points all around with some unique details including the measuring cups used as soft drink/milkshake mugs.

The measuring cups were a great addition seen here with the coke and chocolate milkshake.   I guess you could really count your calorie consumption with the millilitres readings on the side.  The milkshake was something else,  tasted great with DQ Blizzard like consistency which was amazing – Highly recommend.

Some more photos of the six seater booths and walkway inside The Works.

In terms of menu choices, you’re going to have to do some homework before you head over to The Works because you’ll have a ton delicious custom choices to read through.   The first thing you have to do is choose your type of gourmet burger patty – Pure Ground Beef, Whole Chicken Breast, Ground Turkey, Veggie Burger, Portobello Mushroom Cap, or Domestic elk.    Next thing you have to do is rifle through over 40 topping combinations with almost every topping available including some notable mentions like,  avocado, eggplant, brie and blue cheese, Montreal smoked meat, walnuts, smoky brisket, pineapple, and much much more.

The moment of truth – an elk burger (yes, elk) with “SNAP-taculour” toppings made up of gouda cheese, crispy bacon and avocado – “Oh Snap!”and sweet potato fries.  The elk comes with a price upgrade of $3.39 but is definitely worth trying at least once.

The burger was simply fantastic, cooked perfectly and still juicy with every bite.  The elk had not hint of game meat flavour which is a huge turn off for many of us and the best part of it was it wasn’t greasy like any other burger out there.   Highly recommend this choice of patty with great taste and a health upswing along the lines of Bison.

Metal trays seem to be the growing trend and are used here to hold the massive burgers and the side fixings.

The fries were great, tasty and crisp and were a great addition to the meal.

We liked it so much that we had to take an elk burger to go but this time with regular fries.  As you can see here the portions are more than generous.

If you don’t want fries you can have a choice of mashed potatoes, spicy die cut chips, and in this photo above, “Bold Slaw” which has jalapeno pepper juice, and white pepper!

Overall great experience at The Works minus the waiting in line debacle, the burgers clearly speak for themselves in taste and the shakes are to die for.  Next visit will be to taste out the “HIGH OCTANE” Poutines and onion rings but we’ll have to wait and try out the new Toronto location opening up on the Danforth.

For more information please visit The Works website at – http://worksburger.sitebenefits.com/

So what would you really expect from a restaurant named “The Heart Attack Grill” other than people eating outrageously artery killing burgers – A customer at the restaurant while eating a 6,000 calorie “Triple Bypass” burger actually suffered from a heart attack.

Jon Basso, owner of the Heart Attack Grill, told CBS News, “We throw slogans at you like, ‘Taste worth dying for.’”

It’s ironic how Basso calls himself a “doctor” and how the waitresses are all dressed up like nurses but they are all dishing out unhealthy foods that would surely lead you to visit a real hospital.

“I am nowhere near a nurse,” Chamberlin said. “I just play one when I come to work”

This would have been a great publicity stunt but unfortunately this one is real and that’s all she wrote so far – Check out the menu below:

Reunion Island Coffee Introduces Organic Flores Green Dragon!

Oakville, Ontario – February 1, 2012 – For their latest new coffee launch, Reunion Island Coffee sourced beans from the emerging new coffee origin of Flores in Indonesia. With its tropical climate and rich volcanic soil, Flores shares similar growing conditions with its sister islands of Sumatra and Java.

While the island itself is still under-developed, the coffee shows remarkable clarity and maturity, the signs of a well-grown crop.  Reunion Island’s director of coffee development Adam Pesce explains why this coffee appealed to him: “It’s clean, balanced and sweet, yet still has that distinctive heaviness we’ve come to expect from Indonesian coffees.”

Organic Flores Green Dragon is named after one of the island’s most famous inhabitants — the Komodo dragon. By sourcing the coffee from a Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farm, we are proud to support efforts to maintain a healthy environment for the dragons and other protected species.

Reunion Island is roasting Flores Green Dragon to a medium dark Viennese color to develop its dried fruit and sweet chocolate notes along with a slightly floral aroma.

“We are delighted with Reunion Island’s continued committed to sustainability,” said Tensie Whelan, president of the Rainforest Alliance. “By sourcing coffee from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms, Reunion Island is helping to support responsibly managed farms that protect the environment and support their local communities.”

Reunion Island’s Flores Green Dragon is available in single-cup coffee pods, portion packages and whole bean. For more information about Reunion Island, their products and sustainability programs, please visit ReunionIslandCoffee.com or call 905-829-8520.

Panera Bread will open its newest bakery-cafe in downtown Toronto at Yonge and Edward Streets on January 24, 2012.

With its identity rooted in handcrafted, freshly-baked, artisan bread, Panera Bread is committed to providing great tasting, quality food that people can trust.  Highlighted by antibiotic-free chicken, whole grain bread, select organic and all-natural ingredients and a menu with zero grams added trans fat, Panera’s bakery-cafe selection offers flavorful, wholesome offerings.  The menu includes a variety of year-round favorites to complement seasonal items and breads baked fresh daily in each bakery-cafe by skilled bakers.

A Canadian Commitment, A Neighbourhood Approach

The new bakery-cafe in downtown Toronto kicks off a year of growth and expansion in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) with 5 new locations planned for 2012.  These will join the 3 existing Panera cafes in offering a warm and welcoming environment including intimate and comfortable seating areas, a community table and free WiFi Internet access.  Panera’s current locations include Square One in Mississauga, Richmond Hill and Thornhill.

“Panera is thrilled to open our newest bakery-cafe in downtown Toronto,” said Barry Shannon, Panera Bread.  “Our first bakery cafes in Canada, in Mississauga, Richmond Hill and Thornhill, have been incredibly well-received in those communities and we anticipate that this exciting location in the heart of the city will really show Toronto what the Panera brand is all about:  As we continue to grow in the GTA and across Canada, we are committed to creating jobs (40-50 per café) and contributing to the neighbourhoods in which we serve.”

An Active Community Partner

Since Panera Bread was founded, the company and its franchisees have been active community partners.  As part of Panera’s broader national Operation Dough-Nation® program, which was created in 1992 to formalize Panera’s commitment to community involvement, the new downtown location will give back through its local Day-End Dough-Nation™ and Community Breadbox™ programs.

As part of the local Community Breadbox program, all cash donations made by customers in all company-owned bakery-cafes in the GTA, are matched by Panera Bread and distributed to Make-A-Wish.

At the end of each day, Panera Bread also donates all unsold bread and baked goods to local area hunger relief agencies as part of its local Day-End Dough-Nation program.  Collectively, Panera bakery-cafes donated approximately $100 million worth of unsold bread and baked goods in 2010 to help neighbors in need.

Panera Catering

A full catering menu will be offered at the new bakery-cafe. Available for breakfast, lunch and snacks, Panera Catering is ideal for any group from five to five hundred.  Panera Catering emphasizes accuracy and efficiency in delivering the experience of fresh, handcrafted, quality meals to any workplace setting, social event or gathering.  In addition, every bakery-cafe has a dedicated Panera Catering Coordinator on site to manage the entire process, from order to pick up or delivery, to ensure customer satisfaction.

The hours of operation for Panera Bread at 322 Yonge Street are:

Monday -Thursday: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday:  7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Saturday:  8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sunday:  8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

About Panera Bread

Panera Bread Company owns and franchises 1,493 bakery-cafes as of June 28, 2011 under the Panera Bread®, Saint Louis Bread Co.®, and Paradise Bakery & Café® names. We feature high quality, reasonably priced food in a warm, inviting, and comfortable environment. With our identity rooted in handcrafted, fresh-baked, artisan bread, we are committed to providing great tasting, quality food that people can trust. Nearly all of our bakery-cafes have a menu highlighted by antibiotic-free chicken, whole grain bread, and select organic and all-natural ingredients, with zero grams of artificial trans fat per serving, which provide flavorful, wholesome offerings. Our menu includes a wide variety of year-round favorites complemented by new items introduced seasonally with the goal of creating new standards in everyday food choices. In neighborhoods across the United States and in Ontario, Canada, our customers enjoy our warm and welcoming environment featuring comfortable gathering areas, relaxing decor, and free Internet access. Our bakery-cafes routinely donate bread and baked goods to community organizations in need. Additional information is available on our website, http://www.panerabread.com.

You couldn’t get more character, charisma, and style out of a coffee shop if you tried – Balzac’s Coffee shop is the best place to enjoy an espresso, latte, or whatever you like in the Distillery District.   This place is hip, edgy, and no it’s not a secret anymore.   If you come packed with hunger and excitement also bring your patience cause it took us forever to find a place to sit in this place with the line up constantly growing.   Without a doubt this is the place to be.

This is the third instalment of Balzac’s with the first two successfully situated Stratford Ontario and in Liberty Village.  This passion project of founder Diana Olsen has blossomed and matured into the next big coffee franchise in this caffeine crazed city we live in.   “I found myself very comforted, with a great sense of belonging in the grand cafes of Paris.  The depth of history and culture inspired me to bring these qualities to my cafes in Canada.

Exposed brick decor with a distinct style that is uniquely felt at each Balzac’s location differing slightly from each one you visit.  The Distillery location is no exception, just being there you can feel the admiration from all the patrons who come and go, stay and drink and drink some more.

Some organic hot chocolate to pass the time or to warm up on a winter afternoon?  All signs point to “yes”.

Very vintage style chandelier and some more exposed brick – You’re seeing the staircase to the second floor seating area (which was packed) , just another area for you to enjoy you time at Balzac’s.

Classy establishment – Very well maintained and we would most definitely visit again, and again.