This is not your grandma's jello salad. [Globe and Mail]

Should we, as Canadians, just face up to the fact that we are never to be a street food people? Turns out trucks have to jump through as many hoops are push carts, making it tough everywhere to sell food on the move. [Toronto Star]

You had me at "rum" - making rumptof. [Well Preserved]

I wonder.. do the celebrities here for TIFF actually drink the cocktails named after them? [Toronto Star]

And do they actually show up at the places on lists like this that tell people where to go and spot the starts while they're eating and drinking? [Eye]

And when it comes to celebrities, I'm not usually put out if I don't get to meet celebrity chefs when they're in town. But dayum, I would have loved to interview Marco Pierre White. And hey, if pre-made stock is good enough for him, shouldn't it be good enough for you? That's what the folks at Knorr are counting on.[Toronto Sun]

LCBO's Featured Brewery program aims to open up the world of craft beer to Ontarians by featuring multiple beers from specific breweries. [Toronto Star]

Hummus doesn't have to be made from chickpeas. Edamame worked just as well. [The National Post: The Appetizer]

Tomatoes... so many tomatoes. [Toronto Sun]

More tomatoes? Make bruscetta. [Canadian House and Home: In Good Taste]

Is it possible to improve on morels? Stuff them with foie gras, that might do the trick. [Globe and Mail]

And in food for thought - drinking for the sake of getting drunk, the $4 peach, and fudging restaurant sanitation grades. [Save Your Fork]

Some times stuff needs announcin' and the press release is just too good not to share...

A great new menu, a party to celebrate its first year on College Street, and the “Battle of the Bubbies” will keep Caplansky’s Deli hopping in September.

“You don’t need to be a Bubbie or even have a Bubbie to enter the competition. All you need is balls – matzo balls, that is,” says chief mensch and bottle washer, Zane Caplansky.

(Bubbie: “a grandmother”, from the Yiddish, bubeleh. No relation to Buffy, the vampire-slayer. Matzoh balls: a dumpling made from ground meal which are shaped by hand and dropped into a pot of boiling water or chicken soup. End of Yiddish lesson).

A panel of expert judges will pick winners in two matzoh ball categories: “cannon balls” and “fluffy balls”.

“If your mother, Bubbie, or designated matzo ball maker made them hard like a cannon ball then that’s what you’re genetically attuned to enjoy. It would be unfair to compare or judge the two kinds of matzo balls side by side,” explains Zane, who has a personal affinity for fluffy balls.

The “Battle of the Bubbies” matzoh ball smackdown happens starting at 4 p.m., Sunday, September 12, in Caplansky’s Deli. Bubbies and would-be bubbies are urged to pre-register for the competition by contacting Zane at zane@caplanskys.com or 416-500-3852.

A panel of tasteful experts, including Moses Znaimer and food mavens Bonnie Stern, David Sax, Lara Rabinovitch and Amy Wilson, will judge the bubbie battle.

“Pre-registration is vital; competitors who pre-register get a free lunch, and I need to know how many I will be on the hook for,” a worried-looking Caplansky says.

Chef Carlos Fuenmayor is the owner and chef of Sabrosito, a private catering company where he specializes in in-home parties, as well as larger events, often with a teaching and Latino focus. He also offers cooking classes, both privately and through organizations such as the LCBO. He is Cordon Bleu trained and loves classical French cuisine, but his roots are South American, which is why his work celebrates Pan-Latino cooking and culture. He is a blogger and loves to dance.

What inspired you to become a chef?

My grandmother Wilma, who took care of us when we were kids and was a great cook.

What is your favourite dish that you make and why?

I’ll say arepas. Although they’re made everywhere in South America, they represent Venezuela like few other foods. I grew up eating them, and they’re a food that’s loaded with memory for me.

Three ingredients you couldn't live without and why?

Avocado, lime and olive oil, because they’re just so delicious together.

On your day off – what are you cooking at home? If you're eating out, where do you go?

When the weather’s cooler, I make guisado, a saucy comfort-food stew loaded with whatever looks good in the market. If I’m busy and/or exhausted from work, I make my favourite ham and cheese pita-wrap, with capers, olives, mayo, mustard, lettuce and tomato. It’s a sloppy mess but absolutely delicious.

My top three for eating out are Torito (276 Augusta), The Black Hoof (928 Dundas Street West) and Mistura (265 Davenport Road). I love what they do. They’re thinking and execution are right down my alley.

What is your favourite thing about the food scene in Toronto?

What I like the most is we can have food all over the world in a 15 mile radius. I also love participating at food events around town with chefs from different backgrounds, to be reminded of how we all come from somewhere else and bring something interesting because of that.

What's coming up?

I'll be back at the Evergreen Brickworks for the Slow Food Toronto picnic on Sunday, October 3rd. Come by and say hola!

My LCBO cooking class series: Latino Street Food!

Wednesday, October 20th at Bayview Village LCBO
6:30pm to 8:30pm

Tuesday, November 9th at Summerhill LCBO
6:30pm to 8:30pm

The Next Generation of Wine
Downtown: cafe Taste, 1330 Queen Street West
Uptown: Safari Bar and Grill, 1749 Avenue Road
6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
free admission - reserve via link below
Join us for the lauch of two new wines from the Bosc Family. These new wines celebrate family, friends and the connections we create while sharing delicious food and wine. The wine will be introduced at 6:45pm sharp to synchronize the tweet-up with Niagara, Hamilton and Ottawa locations. Mingle with reps from Meal Exchange, our official partner. Snacks, prizes, a great cause and Niagara wine lovers - what could be better to start September?
[more info]

Fête de Pinot Noir
St. Lawrence Hall, 157 King Street East
6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
$150 - available via link below
Join us for Fête de Pinot Noir, a celebration of Burgundy's famously fickle red wine grape. Winemakers and principals from four continents will join us to showcase their finest bottlings of the "heartbreak grape". Carneros, Adelaide Hills, Marlborough, Burgundy, Otago, Willamette Valley, Niagara, Tuscany, Santa Barbara and Martinborough will all be represented. A fundraising event in support of Delisle Youth Services.
[more info]

MARKETS

City Hall Farmers Market
Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen Street West
8:00 AM to 2:00 PM
[more info]

Montgomery's Inn Farmer's Market
Montgomery's Inn, 4709 Dundas Street West
3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
[more info]

MyMarket Bloor-Borden
"Green P" Parking Lot #51, Lippincott Street south of Bloor Street
3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
[more info]

For a comprehensive list of upcoming events in and around Toronto, check out our Events page.

I've seen no clamouring yet, but you just know that every Toronto foodie is hoping to meet Anthony Bourdain when he hits town at the end of the month and be asked to lead him on a tour of the city's culinary hot spots. And he's not the only celebrity chef hitting Hogtown in the coming months. [Toronto Star]

In case you were wondering - soda pop with green tea will probably not cure what ails ya. Canada Dry and Lipton get a smack for false health claims. [Globe and Mail]

Plum tasty - use up the last of summer's plums with a stained glass cake. [Fiesta Farms]

This piece went up on the Star website last week but only hit the print edition today... while urban gardening is a hot trend, people might want to have their soil tested before eating anything pulled straight from the ground. A lot of the city was industrial land years ago, and some of that stuff just doesn't go away. [Toronto Star]

Make this - thousands on a raft - aka. beans on toast. [le sauce]

While I am always looking to be adopted by a sweet Jewish grandma around this time of year, for the life of me, I don't get noodle kugel. I mean, I think it probably tastes awesome, but my brain cannot put what is essentially macaroni and cheese and a sweet sauce and topping together. I think all of you folks with Jewish grandmothers need to bring me a slice (wedge? bowlful?) of your Grannie's version so I can do a taste test. [Equal Opportunity Kitchen]

Lunch at Pizzeria Libretto - you can't beat that for $15. [Plato Putas]

Healthier lunch options for kids (apples instead of applesauce, for instance). [National Post: The Appetizer]

And in food for thought - whale meat makes it to school lunch in Japan, cool science-y things to do with food, and the lies your Momma told you to get you to eat you veggies. [Save Your Fork]

Next to Coca-Cola, the two most recognizable American drink brands in the world are undoubtedly Jack Daniel’s and Budweiser. Introduced within a year of each other (the whiskey in 1875, the beer in 1876), each of them marked the creation of a new style (Tennessee Whiskey and American Pale Lager), and both have gone on to become global icons that represent either the best or the worst aspects of American commercial imperialism, depending on your personal politics.

Personally, I’ve never been a Bud drinker, and while I certainly downed my fair share of JD in my youth, I don’t often drink it nowadays. Even so, I was still pleased to be given the opportunity to meet the current keepers of both brands when they were recently in town for separate events on the same day.

First up was a media pow-wow with George F. Reisch, Brewmaster at Anheuser-Busch, and the man who travels the world ensuring that Budweiser and other A-B brands are being properly brewed, packaged and distributed. Reisch comes from a long line of brewmasters, starting with great-great-grandfather Franz Sales Reisch, who founded the Reisch Brewery in Springfield, Illinois in 1849. The brewery remained family-owned until it was shut down in 1966. Despite the closure, beer was in Reisch’s blood, and after studying Food Science at the University of Wisconsin and working internships at Schlitz and Miller, he joined the team at Anheuser-Busch in 1979, and has been with them ever since.

While his loyalty to the company and brands he represents is obvious, so to is his passion for beer in general. This came through in his hour long presentation which covered the origins and history of beer and offered primers on beer styles, brewing methods and more.

As part of the presentation, Reisch brought along bottles of Budweiser pulled from the tanks in St. Louis the day before at various points in the brewing cycle. Starting with the first wort (essentially a very sweet barley tea), they continued to the cold wort (after hops have been added); the “alpha beer” (fermented, but not yet aged); the end of lagering (finished but unfiltered); and finally the finished product. This last in the chain was proof of the old adage that fresher beer is better beer, as even at a fairly warm temperature, it had a fresh and clean character, with a mellow sweetness and subtle but noticeable hops in the finish.

In addition to making and drinking beer, Reisch is also passionate about pairing beer with food, and there are few foods that match with beer quite as well as cheese.  Proof of this was provided by Afrim Pristine of Cheese Boutique, who was there with an assortment of cheeses to pair up with a selection of beers from Labatt and associated brands (Labatt being part of the Anheuser-Busch InBev conglomerate, and also playing host to the event at their Queen’s Quay offices).

The format of the tasting was fairly loose, and while there were six beers and six cheeses, everyone was encouraged to mix and match to find their favourite pairings. Some winning combos included the Roquefort-esque Roaring Forties Blue from Tasmania with the dark and malty Belgian ale Leffe Brune; the creamy and nutty French cheese Ossau-Iraty with the classic Belgian wheat beer Hoegaarden; and the obvious but still excellent pairing of Stella Artois with a Swiss-style cheese from Quebec that Pristine had washed with Stella and aged in the Cheese Boutique’s cheese cave.

Perhaps the best part of the whole session was hearing Reisch and Pristine, both experts in their respective fields, commenting on the amount that they had learned from each other. Pristine in particular admitted to gaining a better understanding and respect for beer from Reisch’s presentation, so perhaps we can look forward to seeing some craft beer alongside the usual wine at future Cheese Boutique tasting events.

While spending another hour or two chatting with both men about beer and cheese and other wonderful things would’ve been great, I had to quickly take my leave and head over to the Drake Hotel, where they were getting ready for a party celebrating the 160th birthday of Mr. Jack Daniel. And to help mark the occasion in proper Tennessee style, current Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller Jeff Arnett was on hand to lead media and selected guests through a pre-party tasting.

Before we started sipping, Arnett gave us a quick overview of the distillery’s history, and it’s unique position as being one of the most famous alcohol producers in the world despite being located in the dry town of Lynchburg, Tennessee. He also explained the important difference between Tennessee Whiskey, which Jack Daniel’s is, and Bourbon Whiskey, which it is not: while both are created by distilling from a mash made primarily from corn, Tennessee Whiskey is filtered through maple-wood charcoal before aging, which gives the finished product a mellower character.

Lesson over, we moved on to a tasting of the three main Jack Daniel’s brands, starting with Gentleman Jack. Described by Arnett as a “high end cocktail whiskey”, Gentleman Jack undergoes a second charcoal filtration after aging, which removes some of the oakiness and causes it to be softer and sweeter than the standard JD, with hints of licorice and brown sugar.

Next up was Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, a version launched in 1997 that is, as the name suggests, bottled from single barrels rather than blended from several like the original. The barrels used for this brand are hand-picked by Arnett based on the quality of the liquid inside, and as each barrel has a finite capacity, there will be some variation from bottle to bottle. But in general, it’s the most robust of the three JD siblings, with strong notes of oak and caramel, and a full palate that verges on oily.

Finally, the classic that everyone knows simply as Jack Daniel’s, but which is officially named Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 (the meaning of which is lost in the mists of time). Anyone who drinks alcohol has probably tried it at one time or another, so tasting notes are pretty much moot – it’s just Jack, and that’s just fine.

With that, I had a quick taste of the delicious Jack 160th Cocktail (recipe below) before taking my leave. It had been an enjoyable and educational few hours, with the most important lesson being that even though they work for large companies that produce millions of litres of liquid every year, folks like George F. Reisch and Jeff Arnett have just as much passion and pride for what they do as those who run tiny craft breweries or small-batch distilleries.

And to that, what else can I say except – cheers, gentlemen!

JACK 160th COCKTAIL

1 1/2 oz. Jack Daniel’s
juice  of 1/4 fresh lime
3 oz. ginger beer (or ginger ale)
dash of orange or Angostura bitters

Fill a rocks glass with ice. Add all ingredients and stir. Garnish with a lime wedge and an orange twist.

None scheduled today.

MARKETS

East York Farmers Market
East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell Avenue
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

MyMarket SickKids
SickKids Hospital, 555 University Avenue
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
[more info]

Riverdale Farmers Market
Riverdale Park West, 201 Winchester Street
3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
[more info]

Scarborough Civic Centre Farmers Market
Albert Campbell Square, 150 Borough Drive, Scarborough
8:00 AM to 2:30 PM
[more info]

Stonegate Farmers Market
St. James Anglican Church, 194 Park Lawn Road
4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
[more info]

The Stop's Good Food Market
Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood Centre, 1900 Davenport Road
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
[more info]

Trinity Bellwoods Farmers Market
Trinity Bellwoods Park (North West end), Dundas Avenue between Shaw and Crawford
3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
[more info]

For a comprehensive list of upcoming events in and around Toronto, check out our Events page.

Carrots really do help with eye health. But it might be easier to take a specially-designed supplement. [Toronto Sun]

The wonders of seltzer... and egg creams. [Life at No. 71]

All things beer - need to learn more about craft beer? Check out Beerology. [Toronto Star]

And some people are even mixing beer in cocktails. [Toronto Sun]

Still on the topic of beer - it's been a good year in Canada for hops, and craft brewers are excited to be working with local product. [Canadian Beer News]

Recapping the garden party at The Drake Hotel. [Save Your Fork]

Amy Pataki finds Mercatto a good choice for lunch. [Toronto Star]

Enjoy Ontario's seasonal fruit while it lasts. [Toronto Sun]

It's tomato season - check out these two recipes for roasted plum tomato sauce. [Radishes and Rhubarb] [Plum Tart]

And in food for thought - half is the new whole,  processed food that don't meet their nutritional claims, and could your home kitchen pass a restaurant inspection? [Save Your Fork]

It's not easy being a pioneer.

When the Fernandez sisters opened Embrujo Flamenco (97 Danforth Avenue) in 2002, few knew what tapas were. The concept of snack-like items, served on small plates and meant for sharing while enjoying a quick after-work drink was, while not unknown in Toronto, still vaguely foreign when the items were all Spanish in origin.

The sisters (Jais running the front of house, Mali as the executive chef and Eren running the business and marketing) had a plan to bring authentic Spanish cuisine to the city. They created a restaurant that offered tapas and flamenco dancing performances for a taste of Spain that Toronto had not seen.

From the start, an explanation of tapas was required so customers not familiar with Spanish cuisine would understand the process.

“It was hard because there were not many people who knew about tapas,” says Jais. “The trend obviously was there but people didn't know about small plates or anything like that. Even now we still ask [our guests] if they know what tapas are, but now the majority of people say yes. At the time is was more like 70/30. 70 percent didn't know what it was. And the 30 percent had probably been to Spain.”

As the small plates trend progressed and expanded to every type of cuisine, Jais says it has had both positive and negative influences on the restaurant.

“Over time there were other tapas bars opening, but they were oriented to the trend more than the Spanish cuisine. People didn't understand that tapas comes from Spain, that there is more to tapas than just small plates. There was a point when people thought it was that.”

Many restaurants jumped on the “tapas” trend, using the concept of “small plates” to charge more money for less food, and potentially distorting what the traditions were all about.

“It was really frustrating,” Jais explains. “Especially just from a Spanish background, to have your cuisine be misrepresented. It was a big trend coming up, like it was a way of eating, and the word that people got was tapas. It was very misleading and we had people coming here saying, 'well I think I like more Italian tapas or Indian tapas' and things like that. But then they tried our food and loved it.”

“So that was a good thing. I realized it was good because a lot of people were learning about tapas and they were coming to the restaurant and they were becoming educated. We didn't lecture anybody but we tried to make people understand that tapas comes from Spain, and must use Spanish ingredients to say they are tapas.”

Riding out the trend worked to the sisters' benefit as people caught on to what tapas was really about, and as many other restaurants featuring small plates closed down, Embrujo Flamenco grew in popularity as word of authentic Spanish tapas spread, and it became the place to go for this style of cuisine.

One aspect of the authentic tapas tradition that Embrujo Flamenco didn't have was the actual tapas bar. In fact, the elegant restaurant has no bar at all, with drinks being made in the back. Jais says that many of her customers asked for something more casual, a space where they could stop by for drinks and a few small bites without having to order a full dinner, or a place to talk and hang out that was quieter than the main restaurant with the flamenco performances that run from Wednesday to Sunday nights.

Earlier this year they opened Cafe Madrid, a smaller space downstairs with some tables but also with a bar serving drinks and tapas. Open on Friday and Saturday nights, the space also works well for private parties and events.

“It's a different space for people who only want to have drinks,” she tells me. “It used to be, years ago, in the south of Spain they'd only stand up, and be at the bar, no sitting down. We didn't even have chairs at a lot of the bars. You have to stand up and eat and drink and leave. That was the way it was back then. Now, obviously, there are some tables, but I decided we were missing the bar.”

A tour of the cozy room reveals jars of manchego cheese and a leg of Iberico ham on a slicer, ready to be paired with a glass of the spicy house sangria or perhaps some wine or sherry.

And while the downstairs menu is pared down and more in keeping with what you'd find in Spain, all of the food is made with a dedication to keeping things authentic and traditional. Chef Mali exercises her creativity throughout the menu, putting personalized twists on things while still ensuring that the food is traditionally Spanish.

Some dishes are startling and seem like the won't work at all, such as the sauteed shrimps and portobello in anise sauce, but the balance of flavours is so perfect and the play of sweetness so concise that it's one of our favourites. Bacalao (codfish) in a tomato-based sauce with almonds and capers is also a winner and very traditional, and Jais tells us that they have plans to start selling the sauce via their website in the autumn, along with other foods produced in the restaurant or imported from Spain.

“A lot of people ask for the recipes, so we can sell it online, so you only do your bacalao and put it on top”, she explains. They'll also be importing Spanish hams and other products such as the Spanish olive oil that they use in the restaurant. Jais is also planning gift baskets of Spanish products for Christmas.

Of course, you can't go to an authentic Spanish restaurant and not try the paella, which is one of the things the sisters are the most proud of.

The regular menu offers 3 types of paella, all made with traditional Spanish short rice, real saffron and the freshest fish. Jais points out that all of the shrimp Mali uses are organic which are hard to find, but which the chef prefers because of the great flavour.

They expand their paella repertoire during their popular paella festival – the next one takes place at the beginning of November and runs for two weeks – where they'll offer 5 or 6 types, including a vegetarian version, and a very traditional version from Valencia with rabbit and escargots.

And lest vegetarians be put off by all of the seafood and meat, Embrujo Flamenco offers a very diverse selection of vegetarian tapas dishes. Jais is proud of this as well, pointing out that their vegetarian customers all eat very well and that the selection is a draw in and of itself.

One of the things that many people claim to love about Toronto is our multiculturalism, and especially the diversity of restaurants and cuisines that we have available to us. Yet when the small plates trend hit it focused on almost every style of cuisine except Spanish. Thankfully, Embrujo Flamenco has been able to carve their own niche and flourish as people learn more about Spanish food and seek out authentic dishes and preparations. For the Fernandez sisters, serving traditional Spanish food also meant needing to have the patience to wait out the trendiness of the small plates movement so they could show Toronto what tapas is really all about.

Canadian National Exhibition 2010
Exhibition Place
10:00 AM to midnight (10:00 PM on Labour Day)
various prices - see website for details
The Canadian National Exhibition is the largest annual fair in Canada and the fourth largest in North America, attracting approximately 1.3 million visitors each year. The CNE's roots are in agriculture and this continues to be a strong component of the Fair which features a working farm and the Horse Show. Other attractions include two midways, the Food building, live music and entertainment, and much more. This year will also feature live cooking demonstrations by chefs Anthony Rose (Aug. 26), Lynn Crawford (Aug. 27), Michael Smith (Aug. 28), Rob Rainford (Aug. 29), Anna Olson (Sept. 3), Massimo Capra (Sept. 4) and Rose Reisman (Sept. 5). (Final day.)
[more info]

Fiera Festival
College Street between Bathurst Street and Shaw Street
12:00 noon to 2:00 AM
free
A celebration of Italian culture, music and cuisine, featuring live performances and delectable tastes. (Final day.)
[more info]

Hispanic Fiesta 2010
Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge Street
free admission
Hispanic Fiesta 2010 is ready to fill Mel Lastman Square with the splendid sounds, tempting treats and colorful culture that the Hispanic heritage is famous for. Hispanic Fiesta will feature the best known local & International Hispanic performers covering 20 different countries that speak Spanish. (Final day.)
[more info]

CNE Ribfest 2010
Bandshell Park, Exhibition Place
11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
free with CNE admission
Back by popular demand, a succulent rib fest takes over Bandshell Park during the CNE. Ribbers from everywhere won't want to miss this fabulous feast as a multitude of rib masters compete to win best rib recipe. (Final day.)
[more info]

Ashkenaz
Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West
free admission
Showcasing the work of leading contemporary artists from Canada and around the world working in music, film, theatre, dance, literature, craft and visual arts. Ashkenaz 2010 will bring into focus the cultural vibrancy and interconnectedness of Jewish and non-Jewish communities at home and abroad. (Final day.)
[more info]

MARKETS

Sorauren Park Farmers Market
Sorauren Park, Sorauren Avenue south of Dundas
3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
[more info]

U of T Scarborough Farmers Market
U of T Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail
3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

OUT-OF-TOWN

Canada’s Largest Ribfest
Spencer Smith Park, Burlington
Fri-Sun: 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM - Mon: 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM
free admission
Canada's Largest Ribfest, put on by the Rotary Club of Burlington-Lakeshore, is a family-friendly, four-day food extravaganza, bringing together 15 Ribber Teams from across North America, hungry to compete for the Best Ribs Title, and more than 175,000 people hungry to taste their mouth-watering fare. It also features great musical guests, and activities and games for kids of all ages. The proceeds from this event go directly to the community – a good cause, good food, good times and the perfect way to bid farewell to summer. (Final day.)
[more info]

For a comprehensive list of upcoming events in and around Toronto, check out our Events page.

Openings:

• Veteran restaurateurs Michael and Margi Pagliaro (Il Mulino, Barolo, Gavi) will be opening their newest venture, Carisma (73 King Street East), this coming Tuesday.
• Also opening on Tuesday is a new outlet of the South St. Burger Co. chain in the Shops at Don Mills (1090 Don Mills Road), and the resurrected Corned Beef House (270 Adelaide St. West) in their new home just a couple of blocks east of their now demolished original location.
• Suburban dim sum restaurants Crown Prince, Casa Imperial and Casa Victoria have a new downtown sibling, Crown Princess (1033 Bay Street), which opened last week in the former 5th Elementt space.

Closings:

• The Parkdale location of Hue's Kitchen (1226 King Street West) was closed "temporarily" last Saturday, but has been locked up tight since then, so we're guessing that it might be gone for good.
• Dinah Koo has closed down her small take out spot, Dinah's Soup Kitchen (1057 Mount Pleasant Road), which was previously known as Wanda's In The Kitchen With Dinah when Koo shared the space with pastry chef Wanda Beaver.
• True Restaurant (69 Yorkville Avenue) has closed, proving that as hot as the local and organic thing might be right now, it takes more than that to keep a restaurant open.

Changes:

• Therese DeGrace and Karen Balcom have sold Lola's Commissary (634 Church Street) and are "moving on to new and exciting adventures."

Coming Up:

• The opening of Thor Espresso Bar (35 Bathurst Street), originally planned for this month, has been postponed to October due to construction delays.
• The first downtown location of local Lebanese restaurant chain Paramount is coming soon to the address near Yonge & Dundas recently vacated by Superior (253 Yonge Street).
• Residents of the Queen & Euclid area who were holding out faint hope that a new corner store might replace the recently closed Square Fruit Market are out of luck, as the spot will soon be housing the third location of Dark Horse Espresso Bar (684 Queen Street West).
• Those still missing the classic Greek diner fare offered at Pegasus Restaurant before its sudden closure a few months ago are hoping that Magdello Ultimate Grill (439 University Avenue) will be an adequate replacement.

If you have a scoop to share about the local food & restaurant scene, please let us know so we can include it in a future edition of T.O. Tidbits.

Beast Restaurant
96 Tecumseth Street
647-352-6000
brunch for two with all taxes, tip and coffee: $57

I'm breaking our ethical policy here. We normally prefer not to “review” places where we know the chef or owners. Just so that if it's a bad review, nobody is hurt when their pal Sheryl disses their grub. And so that if it's a good review, we can't be accused of writing something positive only because we know the chef. But we really wanted to review Beast because Chef Scott Vivian is doing really unique brunch stuff, and in a land of never ending eggs Benedict, unique stuff deserves to be covered. And while I'm not going to be able to use the ideal situation of “anonymous and impartial reviewer”, know that I'm going to be as fair as I can in my assessment.

Like much of the regular menu, brunch at Beast is heavy on the meat. Burgers ($12 - $14) and the signature pig's head pasta ($12) top the card before the traditional Sunday morning fare appears. Vegetarians have the option of French toast ($10) or yogurt and granola ($6), but if you're not up for some form of beast, then Beast likely won't appeal.

We start with a pot of coffee from Beast's coffee menu, a French press with the kitchen timer attached so we know when to press the plunger and pour. I love this idea in theory, but am boggled by the number of other guests who sit by blankly and stare at the pots when the timer goes off. Hey, the little button that says “ON/OFF”? Press it!

While Beast's dinner service starts with complimentary rolls from pastry chef Rachelle Vivian, we're surprised that there is nothing similar at brunch. Little bit of something sweet to keep us from gnawing our own arms, please? In reality though, while we're hungry waiting for our food to arrive, Beast's portion are pretty big, so extra stuff isn't really needed.

I opt for the hash ($12). It's full of duck confit the day we dine there, but Vivian changes it up (it's smoked rainbow trout as of this writing). Cubes of potato, chunks of sweet duck meat, and bright green beans cut on the cross-section so they almost look like green onions all blend together underneath a fried duck egg. Duck eggs are my new favourite thing, so I'm a happy girl, and it melds into a warm and comforting mess. It's a rich dish though, and when I reheat the second half of it for dinner later, it's a touch greasier than I'd like.

Across the table, the hungry husband can never resist anything southern, so the southern breakfast ($12) makes him happy. A huge fluffy biscuit with sausage gravy and tasso ham is accompanied by kale done in the style of southern collard greens (that is, full of flavour and pot likker from a long slow simmer) with a good balance of tang and salt. This also comes topped with a fried duck egg, although it's slightly overcooked, so the oozy runny yolk is not to be.

And because we're gluttons and want to try as much as we can, we also order a side of tater tots ($4) that are utterly addictive little balls of fluffy, light crunchy potato.

There's but one dessert at brunch, a Kouign Amann ($8). This Breton pastry is layers of bread dough with layers of sugar in between, and is like a cross between a croissant and a brioche. It comes in a big wedge with a large knife to cut it in pieces, and is perfect for sharing. With a chocolate dipping sauce and some fresh (local, seasonal) fruit, it's pretty darned awesome.

Okay, so it was hard not to say nice things about Beast's brunch, because overall, it's a winner. We like that things change up regularly, and as much as we might leave clutching our bellies and moaning from our own gluttony, you definitely get your money's worth.

And yeah, it's hard to do this job and not eventually get to know people in the industry. But know that I say nice things about Scott and Rachelle Vivian's restaurant not because I know them, but because they make really kick ass food that is worthy of praise.

Hispanic Fiesta 2010
Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge Street
free admission
Hispanic Fiesta 2010 is ready to fill Mel Lastman Square with the splendid sounds, tempting treats and colorful culture that the Hispanic heritage is famous for. Hispanic Fiesta will feature the best known local & International Hispanic performers covering 20 different countries that speak Spanish. (Continues to September 6th.)
[more info]

CNE Ribfest 2010
Bandshell Park, Exhibition Place
11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
free with CNE admission
Back by popular demand, a succulent rib fest takes over Bandshell Park during the CNE. Ribbers from everywhere won't want to miss this fabulous feast as a multitude of rib masters compete to win best rib recipe. (Continues to September 6th.)
[more info]

Ashkenaz
Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West
free admission
Showcasing the work of leading contemporary artists from Canada and around the world working in music, film, theatre, dance, literature, craft and visual arts. Ashkenaz 2010 will bring into focus the cultural vibrancy and interconnectedness of Jewish and non-Jewish communities at home and abroad. (Continues to September 6th.)
[more info]

Fiera Festival
College Street between Bathurst Street and Shaw Street
12:00 noon to 2:00 AM
free
A celebration of Italian culture, music and cuisine, featuring live performances and delectable tastes. (Continues to September 6th.)
[more info]

Canadian National Exhibition 2010
Exhibition Place
10:00 AM to midnight (10:00 PM on Labour Day)
various prices - see website for details
The Canadian National Exhibition is the largest annual fair in Canada and the fourth largest in North America, attracting approximately 1.3 million visitors each year. The CNE's roots are in agriculture and this continues to be a strong component of the Fair which features a working farm and the Horse Show. Other attractions include two midways, the Food building, live music and entertainment, and much more. This year will also feature live cooking demonstrations by chefs Anthony Rose (Aug. 26), Lynn Crawford (Aug. 27), Michael Smith (Aug. 28), Rob Rainford (Aug. 29), Anna Olson (Sept. 3), Massimo Capra (Sept. 4) and Rose Reisman (Sept. 5). (Continues to September 6th.)
[more info]

MARKETS

Distillery District Farmers Market
outside Balzac's Coffee House, Distillery District, 55 Mill Street
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
[more info]

Downsview Park Merchants & Farmers Market
Downsview Park, 40 Carl Hall Road
10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
[more info]

MyMarket Liberty Village
"Green P" Parking Lot #224, corner of Liberty Street and Atlantic Avenue
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
[more info]

Square One Farmers Market
Square One Shopping Centre, Northwest Parking Lot (near Zellers), Mississauga
8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
[more info]

OUT-OF-TOWN

Canada’s Largest Ribfest
Spencer Smith Park, Burlington
Fri-Sun: 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM - Mon: 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM
free admission
Canada's Largest Ribfest, put on by the Rotary Club of Burlington-Lakeshore, is a family-friendly, four-day food extravaganza, bringing together 15 Ribber Teams from across North America, hungry to compete for the Best Ribs Title, and more than 175,000 people hungry to taste their mouth-watering fare. It also features great musical guests, and activities and games for kids of all ages. The proceeds from this event go directly to the community – a good cause, good food, good times and the perfect way to bid farewell to summer. (Continues to September 6th.)
[more info]

For a comprehensive list of upcoming events in and around Toronto, check out our Events page.

The Reviews

• Gina Mallet in the National Post skips the traditional review format this week, and instead provides a handy list of tips for dealing with dining out in Toronto.
• In the Toronto Star, Amy Pataki replies to chef Scott Conant's infamous open letter to Toronto with an open letter of her own - although given the number of not-so-nice things that she has to say about Conant's Scarpetta, we don't expect it's a letter he'll be happy to receive.
• For his final column as the summer substitute for Joanne Kates in the Globe & Mail, Chris Johns skips the fancy stuff and lists off some of his places to grab cheap eats. (Not yet online.)

The Rest

Post

• Margaret Swaine recommends three nicely-priced syrahs/shirazes.
• Rebecca Tucker previews the Lang Pioneer Village Corn Roast, an annual celebration of the late summer bounty taking place tomorrow near Peterborough.
• Adam McDowell gives the scoop on some of the film-themed cocktails that will be available around town during TIFF, and also has recipes for some cocktails that use orange bitters.
• Lesley Chesterman checks with nutritionist Isabelle Huot for some tips on how to make tasty and healthy school lunches of the little ones.
• Bonnie Stern uses the traditional apples and honey in her recipes for Rosh Hashanah.

Star

• Gord Stimmell runs through a wide range of wines from today's Vintages release, from the excellent to the, uh, not so much.
• Corey Mintz hearkens back to the time he spent in the kitchen at now-defunct meat-free restaurant Boom Shiva as he prepares dinner for vegetarian comedian Kathleen Phillips.
• Shauna Rempel toasts the waning days of summer with some boozy snow cones for grown-ups.
• Daniel Dale eulogizes Michel Montignac, author of the controversial diet book Dine Out and Lose Weight, who passed away late last month.
• Richard Ouzounian checks out the dining scene in Portland, Oregon.
• Jan Feduck learns how to cook and eat 1700s style at Fortress Louisbourg in Cape Breton.
• Jim Byers finds some of the best rooftop bars in Manhattan.

Globe

• Beppi Crosariol praises a few 2007 reds from southern Rhône that have hit the LCBO in today's Vintages release.
• Ian Brown wraps up his cross-Canada eating adventure with a declaration that if we really need to have a national dish, wild salmon is a great candidate.
• Jessica Leeder also writes about salmon this week; not the wild variety, but rather a genetically modified farmed version developed in PEI that is on the verge of being approved for sale in the US.
• Leah McLaren spends her final summer days at the cottage participating in a dreaded fridge-clearing tradition known as "The Eat Out".
• Deirdre Kelly zips up to Concord to the auto-themed A1 Autostrada Ristorante, and tries the signature cocktail, The Pitstop. (Not yet online.)
• Lucy Waverman has some recipes for Rosh Hashanah that are non-traditional but still holiday-appropriate.
• Sebastien Centner wraps up his four-part series of Riviera-inspired columns with suggestions for some elegant bar snacks in the style of St. Tropez that you can serve at your next soiree. (Not yet online.)
• Tavia Grant explains why in the world of business economics, burgers are the latest big thing.
• Anna Mehler Paperny talks to folks on all sides of the ongoing debates over the licensing of bar and restaurant patios.
• Julie Besonen travels to New York City to check out Eataly, the massive Italian market and restaurant complex recently opened by chef Mario Batali and partners.
• And finally, several wire service articles that aren't on the Globe website but available online elsewhere include: a piece on chef and food educator Maribel Linfield; a feature on the growing popularity of energy drinks; and a look at how Champagne makers are attempting to reduce their carbon footprint with a redesigned bottle.

Ashkenaz
Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West
free admission
Showcasing the work of leading contemporary artists from Canada and around the world working in music, film, theatre, dance, literature, craft and visual arts. Ashkenaz 2010 will bring into focus the cultural vibrancy and interconnectedness of Jewish and non-Jewish communities at home and abroad. (Continues to September 6th.)
[more info]

Fiera Festival
College Street between Bathurst Street and Shaw Street
12:00 noon to 2:00 AM
free
A celebration of Italian culture, music and cuisine, featuring live performances and delectable tastes. (Continues to September 6th.)
[more info]

Hispanic Fiesta 2010
Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge Street
free admission
Hispanic Fiesta 2010 is ready to fill Mel Lastman Square with the splendid sounds, tempting treats and colorful culture that the Hispanic heritage is famous for. Hispanic Fiesta will feature the best known local & International Hispanic performers covering 20 different countries that speak Spanish. (Continues to September 6th.)
[more info]

CNE Ribfest 2010
Bandshell Park, Exhibition Place
11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
free with CNE admission
Back by popular demand, a succulent rib fest takes over Bandshell Park during the CNE. Ribbers from everywhere won't want to miss this fabulous feast as a multitude of rib masters compete to win best rib recipe. (Continues to September 6th.)
[more info]

Canadian National Exhibition 2010
Exhibition Place
10:00 AM to midnight (10:00 PM on Labour Day)
various prices - see website for details
The Canadian National Exhibition is the largest annual fair in Canada and the fourth largest in North America, attracting approximately 1.3 million visitors each year. The CNE's roots are in agriculture and this continues to be a strong component of the Fair which features a working farm and the Horse Show. Other attractions include two midways, the Food building, live music and entertainment, and much more. This year will also feature live cooking demonstrations by chefs Anthony Rose (Aug. 26), Lynn Crawford (Aug. 27), Michael Smith (Aug. 28), Rob Rainford (Aug. 29), Anna Olson (Sept. 3), Massimo Capra (Sept. 4) and Rose Reisman (Sept. 5). (Continues to September 6th.)
[more info]

MARKETS

Brick Works Farmers Market
Don Valley Brick Works, 550 Bayview Avenue
8:00 AM to 1:00 PM
[more info]

Downsview Park Merchants & Farmers Market
Downsview Park, 40 Carl Hall Road
10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
[more info]

Etobicoke Farmers Market
Etobicoke Civic Centre, 399 The West Mall
8:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Farmers Organic Market
St. George the Martyr Church, 197 John Street
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Green Barn Farmers Market
Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie Avenue
8:00 AM to 12:00 noon
[more info]

Port Credit Farmers Market
beside Port Credit LCBO,  200 Lakeshore Road East, Mississauga
7:00 PM to 1:00 PM
[more info]

St. Lawrence Farmers Market
St. Lawrence Market (North Building), 92 Front Street East
5:00 AM to 5:00 PM
[more info]

The Village Market
Toronto Waldorf School, 9100 Bathurst Street, Thornhill
8:30 AM to 1:30 PM
[more info]

Weston Village Farmers Market
Weston GO Station parking lot, 39 John Street (at Weston Road), Weston
7:00 AM to 2:00 PM
[more info]

Withrow Park Farmers Market
Withrow Park, south of Danforth Avenue between Logan & Carlaw
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
[more info]

OUT-OF-TOWN

Canada’s Largest Ribfest
Spencer Smith Park, Burlington
Fri-Sun: 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM - Mon: 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM
free admission
Canada's Largest Ribfest, put on by the Rotary Club of Burlington-Lakeshore, is a family-friendly, four-day food extravaganza, bringing together 15 Ribber Teams from across North America, hungry to compete for the Best Ribs Title, and more than 175,000 people hungry to taste their mouth-watering fare. It also features great musical guests, and activities and games for kids of all ages. The proceeds from this event go directly to the community – a good cause, good food, good times and the perfect way to bid farewell to summer. (Continues to September 6th.)
[more info]

For a comprehensive list of upcoming events in and around Toronto, check out our Events page.